Blog from July, 2011

Hi, is anyone qualified to guide and/or instruct ice / snow technique on Cradle at all? Thanks.

Warning - car vandalism today whilst climbing at Meehan Range (yes we should have known better....)

On return to cars parked at the 'locked' gate - currently rammed open to assist in illegal wood cutting - we found ourself with 3 slashed tyres between the 2 cars. Police were notified. A chainsaw was being used in the area so presumably they couldn't help themselves as they departed. I'm now hoping that karma really does work.

With all the new route development there has been a fair bit of traffic at the cliff recently (9 climbers last Sunday). Andrew Martin who owns the property at the base of the cliff, has some important access information which people need to be aware of when visiting Bare Rock. See the climb northern tasmania blog. http://climbnortherntasmania.wordpress.com/2011/07/25/important-bare-rock-fingal-access-information/

Climbed the Fury Gully Ice route on saturday, was in absolutely brilliant condition.  The lower section was solid snow ice for around 6 pitches (60m ea) with the 7th pitch travelling over solid water ice in tiers flowing down the rock slabs which was plenty thick enough for screws.  Route finished just near the summit cairn.  Well worth an outing, especially if you wait for a couple of clear days to ensure the snow approach is frozen as well.  We even needed crampons just to get to the base of the route as the snow slope leading to it was bullet proof.  We took around 10 hrs return from the Dove lake car park, and while we skied accross the plateau, if the snow remains firm, walking would be just as quick, descent was by the normal walkers route, that may also require crampons if it stays frozen..

See the blog below for photos of new routes at Bare Rock. 6 routes done between 24-28, and 10 more projects on the go. Unfortunately cliff closed from August to December for Peregrine falcon nesting. http://climbnortherntasmania.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/fingal-new-route-action-photos-2/

  Near new 5 Ten Anasazi VCS (onyx) rock climbing shoes. Only been worn 10 times. Edges ar in mint condition.
Thought they may stretch but too tight. Perfect condition, hate to sell but want more comfortable shoe.
Perfect sport clombing shoe.
 
Size: US 7.5
        UK 6.5
        EUR 40
 
Item in launceston, Tas
0429776538
$90

This is a blog aimed at updating Climb Tasmania's series of guidebooks as new routes and cliff development occurs. Where possible updates are linked to the indexes in existing guidebooks. The first 2 updates which appear are the 2 Ben Lomond Guide updates which have appeared previously, so nothing new at the moment: but keep an eye out for the amazing new developments at Bare Rock, Fingal to be published soon once the projects have been climbed. http://climbnortherntasmania.wordpress.com/

Hi

This post is not relative to Tasmania, but the climbing community is so small that I think it would be appropriate to post it here as well. Some of you might have met Clint maybe briefly at Frog Buttress, or even in Tassie, others knew him pretty well. He was a really nice bloke, and really helpfull from the short amount of time I spent with him. Unfortunately, he passed on 2 weeks ago while equipping a new route he was absolutely psyched about. He wanted to dedicate this route to his mother, and sold one van to equip the route.

While on a rescue mission with SES people 10 days ago (28/06/2011) , we found his body laid on the ground. It is believed that while drilling, he tried the moves, keeping falling and jummaring up ... his 9mm static got cut on a sharp edge. He then fell for 40 or more meters, landed on a ledge, removed his harness (dunno how much time later) stood up, got daisy, and fell for another 20 30m.

This is a pretty sad news, another one ... in the climbing community. Could this have been avoided, I don't know. A bigger rope would not have resisted I guess, 2 ropes would have been better (but not practical while on a solo mission), pads to protect sharp edges ? May this accident change our behaviours toward security, which we might neglect too much sometimes.

He died following his dreams, hope someone will finish his route.

Rest in peace Clint

Loz
post on Qurank

http://queenslandclimbing.yuku.com/topic/5695/Clint-Fatal-Mt-Greville-accident-was-Clint-is-missing\-

Pair of scarpa climbing shoes left at Waterworks Thurs 30 June. Hopeing somebody has picked them up.