Arapiles 25-09-2008 to 06-10-2008

Matthias Hopp

Back from Arapiles early cause I have to be at uni in 7 hours, therefore the first trip report after returning home safe

To start with, the whole week was nothing but awesome. The guide displays 1500 out of several thousand climbs, all located in walking distance to a quite nice camp site. The following trip report is based on what I can remember from the trip and I had a lot of beer. So don't be to fuzzy if I mix up climbs, people and/or days. It is not about when Pete got stuck in the chimney, but about the fact he did.

Thu 25

Being a poor uni student I took the cheaper flight and arrived early in Adelaide. Kirsty was kind enough to let me stay at her place for a day. I was done with sightseeing basically after 10 minutes, cause I had seen everything. Kirsty and I ordered way to much food at an Asian restaurant and went in a pub afterwards.

Fri 26

Picked up Pete and Bjorn, checked to local climbing shops and drove to Araps in a ridiculously overloaded but nice small car. Image

Sat 27

Pete and I started on a sport 17 route which is worth mentioning for me cause it was the only non trad route for the whole time and so I could pink it. After this we went on a multipitch called Jojo or something like this. Hanging on a trad belay the first time is kind of scary. Not being too happy with * Scorpion direct 17 we decidid to delay ** Scorpion 30m 18 and scrambled down Alibabas cave to the camp site. Bjorn who was climbing with Kirsty and apparently managed to set a hanging belay 2 meters next to a ledge and also spend some time with the next one, to realise that the next party had their anker set in 30 seconds.

Sun 28

Kirsty led *** Beautiful Possibilities 46m 15 and I seconded it Image On our trip to pick up Blake, which turned out to be just a shopping trip cause Blake got a lift with Ria, Kirsty locked her keys in the car. After trying to break into it with wire and packing tape we eventually managed to open it, by ... (ask Kirsty). I kind of destroyed my hands when abseiling from the first climb and ended up with a couple of blisters but 20 meters of tape made me climb to rest of the time.

Mon 29 or the day when Blake cooked dinner

Pete led ** Toccata 14 and belayed Bjorn + me on the double ropes. Image

Same with Necrophiliac 25m 16 later on which was amazing and does not even have a star Image

Before Bjorn had a go on *** Agamemnon 40m 11 and Pete finished it. Don't talk about climbing grade 11s before actually doing this. ImageImage

Tue 30 or the day when Pete ran to the loo before climbing after Blakes dinner the day before

I seconded Pete and he led all the way up the Bluffs via ***Kaiser/Resignation Direct 18, *Aristocrat 18 and *** Blockbuster 11. Aristocrat was kind of an effort. A chimney that turns into a crack. Pete led it and got stuck, hanging hands and foot free in the roof. Photographical reference by Kirsty will surely follow. I tried to bridge around, got the crux and fell at the end when I had to step on the ledge 20 cm next to me.

Wed 1

Took a rest day first but got talked by Pete into climbing ***D Minor 14 and *Mudeye 15. Never seen a 14 with three roofes before.

Thu 2

I climbed with a guy called Mike from New Zealand for the day some *** 11 and 14s and had a look at "Punks in the Gymn" afterwards. The story about the German guy is an urban legend, no one can climb this stuff. How can you hold on to a sloper in an overhang ?

Fr 3

Started the day with Pete again for *Lemmington 19 and ***Tannin 19. The last one is probably the best climb I have done so far. Just an amazing route. After this, it started raining and we headed in hope for better weather to the Grampians and Taipan Wall but after a picture in the rain we went for the pub. Image

Sat 4

Pete led Quo Vadis 19 and Scorpion 19 with Bjorn in second. Great job ! Image

Here you get a better idea of the climb, which is compared to the shower scene in Psycho by the guide Image

Match picture one into number two !

My hands were really bad and I went to take pictures Image

Sun 5

Departure day for me and Blake. I spend five hours in a bus with a child in the next row that was womiting the whole way.

More pictures are here: http://www.qutcliffhangers.com/forums/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=12401