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Looks like plenty of snow up there right now, video is from last weekend: http://www.vimeo.com/1558094

Google has released streetview on its australian maps today, including an amazing amount of Tasmania.
Its not just streets, but lots of highways as well that have been photographed from ground level.
Seems that Google has updated a lot of the satelite imagery with higher resolution as well.

Check out some of the links below:

Kings Bridge: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=-41.432946,147.12676&spn=0.014575,0.043945&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=-41.440265,147.127064&panoid=pk5YC_Edg-4M-N9-DAPoPw&cbp=1,213.2690225083111,,0,9.151081189608949

Gordon River Rd: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=-42.846017,146.227856&spn=0.028507,0.087891&t=h&z=14&layer=c&cbll=-42.860317,146.227925&panoid=49EPWXrmsBgaqCyDm5WqMw&cbp=1,153.08681672025773,,0,0.22508038585208665

Lyell Highway: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=-42.052097,145.611334&spn=0.028871,0.087891&t=h&z=14&layer=c&cbll=-42.066899,145.607499&panoid=_rMYLlhSxHvKs-nzDyfz2A&cbp=2,43.23354934212381,,0,-0.39892102834007837

Mt Brown car park: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=h&layer=c&cbll=-43.18778,147.845422&panoid=RHc4K4u2MEXVMWGPdl-Rww&cbp=1,156.1254019292605,,0,5.868167202572351&ll=-43.17589,147.842588&spn=0.028354,0.087891&z=14

Eddystone lighthouse: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=h&layer=c&cbll=-40.991805,148.345865&panoid=f0oY1EPginudqnX5AHXi_w&cbp=1,141.5079593108287,,0,-18.224565550467336&ll=-40.983203,148.348131&spn=0.029352,0.087891&z=14

Cloudy day on the summit: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=h&layer=c&cbll=-42.895288,147.23773&panoid=VvGbKTncDiY9xZMfUM-tzw&cbp=1,118.14501693307614,,0,10.496674355217525&ll=-42.888165,147.238555&spn=0.014244,0.043945&z=15

Dear david, could you please contact me (63301435) or email gerry.narkowicz@bigpond.com
thanks,
Gerry Narkowicz

Tragedy has struck. I guess I lost my shoe about a month ago at hillwood. If anyone found it or heard vague rumors to its whereabouts, please let me know. I cant promise a reward because I am broke. Only my undying gratitude and the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping out a fellow human being...(I guess I loosely fit in that category!) Thanks!

From Tony:

The Wellington Trust recently called a meeting of climbers to talk about parking issues and track clearance and maintenance, given a rapid increase in use of the area.

In a nutshell, they have come up with a plan to improve the parking, without going overboard, and have advised that they would prefer it if climbers would use as few tracks up to the cliffs as possible, to minimise bush cutting and erosion.

They are also willing to help with some track stabilisation where necessary. They are not talking about "improving" the tracks to a higher standard or encouraging non-climbers to use them.

The Trust would welcome comment and has asked climbers to discuss which tracks should be used and which need some remediation. Check out the suggestions and minutes (below) and share your thoughts so we can put forward a good cross-section of views at the next meeting - and any suggestions as to how we might celebrate 50 years of climbing on the Pipes... Cheers

Tony McKenny

Some time in the recent weeks up at Sphinx Rock some body has stolen the quickdraws out of some of the routes!
I ask Why?
These quickdraws are in for every bodies convenience. They are mine but they are there for every one to use.
I ask who ever has taken them could they please put them back!!!
thanks garry phillips

howdy all,

while climbing at rocky tom on sunday i found that the large block used in the first few moves of lancelot (next to the ever popular excalibur) is pretty loose and likely to come out. if anyone is more hardcore than me and can figure out a way to pull it out safely then go for it.

also if anyone knows how to pass this information on to the outdoor ed teachers go for it or let me know how and ill do it.

alex mcwhirter

The Stronghold is a new bouldering area just past Handsome Crag found by Jon Nermut and Dave Humphries. It has has about a dozen beautiful free standing boulders and some great rock. After 5 weekends there are now about 35 problems in a relatively small area, including several absolute classics. Come prepared with brushes - price of entry is hard labour brushing new problems!

Check out the guide: Handsome Crag bouldering

Here's a video of a couple of the new problems done today: (hi-res version is on the Videos page)

And some photos:

Straight Lines V2	Settting Sun V4	Settting Sun V4	Settting Sun V4
Daves Arete	Daves Arete	Settting Sun V4	Settting Sun V4
Settting Sun V4	Settting Sun V4	Settting Sun V4	Settting Sun V4
			Campbell's Crack - FA by Campbell Godfrey
Campbell's Crack - FA by Campbell Godfrey	Campbell's Crack - FA by Campbell Godfrey	Campbell's Crack - FA by Campbell Godfrey	Campbell's Crack - FA by Campbell Godfrey
Campbell's Crack - FA by Campbell Godfrey	Campbell's Crack - FA by Campbell Godfrey	Campbell's Crack - FA by Campbell Godfrey	Campbell's Crack - FA by Campbell Godfrey
Campbell's Crack - FA by Campbell Godfrey	Campbell's Crack - FA by Campbell Godfrey	Campbell's Crack - FA by Campbell Godfrey	Campbell's Crack - FA by Campbell Godfrey

Does anyone have a old hand drill ??
Will pay big bucks!!!
Jake

Dave,I have done one poxy problem at Brady's lookout but not on the boulders in your photos. I have seen chalk on the boulders though so someone has climbed there before.

I also bolted the left hand arete of the crag a while back (open project) if anyone is interested in climbing it, looks like at least grade 29 but I haven't tried the moves yet.

Hi,

I'm a Victorian climber seeking a climbing partner for July. I'm bringing my rope, part of my rack, and also have access to a car. I prefer trad (like climbing cracks), lead trad up to 19, but mostly just wanna get out and climb.

I will be based in Hobart, but would also be willing to climb elsewhere if possible. Get your beenie out and join me!

Call 0458592866 or email robertibob@gmail.com

Cheers,

Rob

Hey guys anyone know of any climbing history around Tullah? Im buying a place there while im working in the mines down the west. The place looks pretty good!!

Love to hear from anyone!

Jono Haines

Ex lonley Flinders Island climber now lonley west coast climber (of the very part time variety)

I've got the guides to the point where the Tasmanian Climbing Guide and the Freycinet Guide are now available in hardcopy at http://stores.lulu.com/thesarvo .

The Tasmanian Climbing Guide is a bit of a monster - its every guide on this site besides bouldering and weighs in at about 440 pages and 3000 climbs. The idea is that subsections of this then have their own dedicated publications, eg the Mountain guide, and now Freycinet.

The Freycinet guide is about 100 pages with about 600 climbs, and also has several action photos. Its available in a color edition as well as the B&W for those with extra cash to splash.

There are two more editions that are really just awaiting cover photos: Tas Climbing Guide North and Tas Climbing Guide South. If you've got a photo good enough for a cover shot please send it in!

As always these books are a continual work in progress, so if you've got corrections or additions then post them on this site and they will make it into the next version.

You can also get all of these guides as PDFs off the Buy and Download Guides page.

A serious access precedent is currently unfolding in QLD that could well affect other areas in Australia without serious support from climbers around Australia (we need numbers to give strength to the voice).

In a nutshell, a new sport climbing area was developed (QLD's steepest crag), it was in a spot no other users would ever see or know about, and a very unique site for climbing. National Parks found out about the site and fined 4 key climbers $375 each, they also have ordered them to remove all bolts by Aug 31st or face a $6000 fine each!! If this is not challenged by climbers Australia-wide why wouldn't they move this approach to other sites.

The GOAL of the QLD Climbers Alliance is:
"to gain formal recognition of the needs of climbers by major landmanagers in QLD."

Please go to the site for more info. and register your support if you are concerned.

http://www.queenslandclimbersalliance.org/

The photos below are from Stu Bowling from a trip up to Mt Wright. Pretty amazing.

According to Stu:

"This was fully sick, bomber quartzite rock & about 50m long, 15-20m above the ground. Quartzite. Cross the Gordon River & up a big hill for 4 hours its all yours! it of a slog to get there tho. There is also a few other cool boulders etc. on the summit ridge."

"Its on the Mt Wright summit plateau; cross the Gordon as if heading to Lake Rhona then head west up Mt Wright, a long, long slog uphill. Theres lots of cool rock out there - just a major mission to get to most of it.

Big arch 2	View from Mt Wright looking to the SW	Big arch 1	Smaller arch
Big arch 3