After everyone has returned from Europe, and relishing escapades on limestone, granite and conglomerate, it was time to return to the sandstone escarpments of Australia. Winter in the Blue Mountains it always the perfect opportunity for some hard climbing with perfect friction. Out opportunity came in later August when the chill in the air was reinforced by blistering conditions overlayed on a Bluebird sky. With some hestiation we decided to attempt an Upper Shipley visiation on Sunday - very brave indeed - and we were pleasantly surprise by the lack of people in the cold conditions. Both ends of the crag were blasted by severe windchill factors, but somewhere in the middle was quite gentle, where the alcoves focused a little bit of the sun's raise and kept things quite pleasant. Regardless most of us went completely numb on the first warm-up of the day.
We had a larger than usual group with Roman and Fin joined Louise and Roman Senior. We also caught up with Meg who brought a gaggle of hard-core bolderers from Skywood who had never been climbing outdoors, never done any topropping and never done any leading. The same was true for Fin. So it was a special day of many firsts. There was at least 10 of us and pretty much everyone managed a "first" of some kind. First topropes outside where followed swiftly by first leads and the stoke was high with grades being pushed harder than everyone thought would be possible. Fin climbed his first grade "These people are sandwiched" 22 on toprope and then led "Girly Germs" (with a crux boulder start by using an undercling pocket to a high pinch then pump again; and a thin move up high) 21** in swift succession - not bad for a first day out. Roman did a couple of laps on Pooferator (31***) but the gale numbed his fingers in mere seconds. Meg led the amazing Hot Flyer (23***) in a single pitch to the top. |
