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Hiya,

Hope everybody had an enjoyable Christmas. I'm flying down to Hobart with my girlfriend tomorrow, if anybody is heading up to the Organ Pipes from the 29th to the 31st and would like some beer for giving us a lift then could you please contact me on 0438 634 964.

Cheers,

Benno

The limited edition guidebook to the world class crack climbing venue of Ben Lomond is due out in 2008. This comprehensive guide will be professionally designed with many full colour photos, topos, entertaining history and descriptions of all 325 routes on the mountain. Authors Bob McMahon and Gerry Narkowicz have a proven track record of publishing quality guidebooks and Ben Lomond will exceed them all. The guide is essentially written, but unfortunately, the Division of Sport and Recreation has knocked back our grant application for the second time, setting us back in our finances. To supplement our fundraising and help with up front printing costs, you can pre-purchase your copy at the discount price of $35 (includes postage). The more copies pre-sold will hasten the release date of the book. So if you want to see this guidebook out soon, send cheques for $35 made out to Climb Tasmania and mail to Climb Tasmania, 150 Frankford Highway Exeter, 7275 Tas along with your contact details and mailing address. Alternatively, direct deposit to Climb Tasmania's bank account. Email gerry.narkowicz@bigpond.com with your order, and I will provide banking details.

Another trip report. Our trip was not as intense as Jake and Garry's attempt at Deeper Water, but it was still pretty fun! Me and Dean Rollins went up north Sun-Tue and had a blast at the Cluen Tiers. Gerry N. was at the crag and said we were probably the only Hobart climbers who bothered to visit so I thought I would try to inspire some more activity at the Cluen. Unlike some areas up North like parts of the Gorge and Hillwood, the stars given in Gerry's guide to the Cluen Tiers are actually quite accurate. That should be nuff said if you look at the guide located here: http://www.climb.org.au/index.php?page=27&area_id=782

Its definitely a summer crag so if anyone is planning on heading north soon its worth the stop over. Just don't fret too much on the naming conventions and get cranking!
After climbing Seize the Day at Duck Reach on Sunday, the climbs we did at the Cluen:
Nicks 26 traverse- more like 25 with a techy/crimpy traverse and fun moves through roof.
The multipitch 21,23 on the left- Cool 21 chimney pitch to reachy 23 problems.
The long 22 to the right of this- good exposure on arete.
The 3 star 23 face climb on the main cliff- Awesome face climbing!
The 3 star 23 right of this. I thought 25(maybe cuz I fell!). Killer moves to the roof. Then a weird/hard crux...
Then finished with the 3 pitch climb that tops out on the main face. Awesome 21 traverse to one of the best 23 faces in Tas! Seriously good.

OK, so before you all queue up for Deeper Water, maybe try some training at the Cluen first!

Tyndall Mania!!
it's summer so why not!!!!
i have linked 3 videos of me and gary climbing at the tyndalls, which is on the west coast of tassie. the route we attemped was Deeper Waters, still unreapeted. it's 310 meters long and has some pritty hard pitches, with the first being the real deal and full value 48 meters of conglonerate slabby pebble pulling (it's hard)!. first graded 26 but after having tried it a few times and still haven't red pointed it i think it's more 27/8. it's 9 pitches and was first but up by Adam Donoghue and Garath Lewelian.
we did not free every pitch, but we decided on going for a ground up style rather than rapping the route. and sussing out the top pitches. so we will be back!!!
the first one day free ascent is still up for grabs!!!

see you out there

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzKydaN_PPg

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RTJLgO-ytM

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sTF0ZKN3TY

cheers jake

I'll just start this thread to notify new routes as they get added into the online guides.

Here's the first one, courtesy of Dennis Kearnes, on Wonders of the Flesh buttress in the Gorge:

Fish Fingered Choir Girl 12m 19 4Þ
A couple of metres left of Noodle Armed Choir Boy. Climb the face, 4 fixed hangers, take a wire for the top moves if you want extra pro. DBB at the top. Dennis Kearnes, Michael Fox, 3/11/07.

Have just cut the tracks to the various cliffs at Hillwood today. Have been doing this for the last 7 years and every summer I'm confronted with chest high thistles and nettles. Anyway, tracks to Rock Of Ages, Falcon Crag, Cave Rock, and Hidden Towers are cleared for your convenience and climbing pleasure. PLease note that first time visitors must phone Gerry Narkowicz (63301435)or Bob McMahon (63944225) to arrange access at the request of the landowner.

I am not here for war.

This is a serious question.

I am looking at a Frenchmans area trip early next year. The Frenchmans region has seen the use of pins previously. I am aware of the Cap as being seen as a no drill space. What are local opinions of the use of other hammer in gear in the area on new routes.

Also I would be interested if no drill but hammered courage in the backpack gear (pins, heads) are viewed a suitable as emergency/survival opions ie. emergency and or planned rap anchors; gear for progess, going up, or seen as totally unsuitable in a modern context.

I am a believer of when in Rome.....(apart from days I feel like Hannibal).

Thanks Dave

In the Craglets guides, Roger was pretty adamant that the guides should always be written left to right. No matter what. No arguments.

Hence in the guides recently added, areas like the Gorge Shady Side, and Hazards Main Wall, read back to front, as you approach them R-L. The Star Factory was like this in Craglets, but is now R-L as Jake wrote it. The Mt Wellington guide is also R-L.

Roger's reasoning is that its much better to keep guidebooks consistent.

However I'm not convinced, and am thinking about re-ordering these two areas.

Thought I would do a little vote to gauge opinion on this. Please cast your vote below (you have to log in to vote).

Anyone know if the fire in the southwest has burned adamsfield?

According to the ABC -

"Firefighters are continuing their efforts to contain a bushfire burning out of control in Tasmania's remote South West Conservation Area. The fire was started by lightning in the World Heritage Area west of Maydena almost 2 weeks ago, and has burnt nearly 4,500 hectares. Remote area fire crews are continuing to extinguish hot spots using portable dams and with helicopter back-up. But the steep terrain, varying vegetation and limited water supply is expected to extend the time taken to extinguish the blaze. A spokesman says buttongrass moorland areas continue to re-ignite in the dry conditions. Authorities say it is unlikely any populated areas will be affected by smoke. All walking tracks including Timms Track, Clear Hill Road, Adamsfield Track, Saw Back Range Track and Richea Creek Track remain closed."

The map on http://fire.tas.gov.au shows it pretty damn close:

Could be a good opportunity for some exploring once it dies out if it has cleared scrub out. On the other hand bolts and rock at adamsfield could be buggered.

Dear All,

Has anyone climbed the two listed Lost Falls routes?

What are they like?

Are they all sport? (it'd appear so from the number of bolts).

Rod Smith

Thinking of heading up to the South Sister on the weekend. Does anyone know if there's anywhere to camp around there? There doesn't seem to be any info in Craglets.

I guess worst case we can camp at Fingal.
cheers
Cam

Roger Parkyn and Matt Perchard and co have generously allowed all of the Craglets guidebook to appear online.

I have been adding the guides over the last couple of days, and they are mostly up now.

Check them out at Climbing Guides.

The idea is that the guides will now be maintained (and hopefully enhanced) online. Some time in the future PDFs will also be available so you can easily print out the guides and take them to the crags.

There may also be on-demand printed guides (similar to The Mountain guide) published by http://www.lulu.com . First off will probably be a pocket guide to Freycinet - Coles Bay.
Anyone with high resolution digital action or topo photos to contribute please send them to .

There is still quite a lot of editing and sorting out to do (including integrating the updates), but hopefully that won't be too painful.

Cheers,

Jon Nermut

The other day while climbing around the bulging buttress on the pipes. i found my self in a bit of a tricky situation at around 10 meters on SSSI  i clipped the first of 3 old pitions. chalked up looked down to sort my feet out and then my quick draw was hanging in front of my figure of eight. the pition was so weathered that it just broke clean off under the weight of the rope. lucky i had some tiny cams to protect the section. but just a bit of a warning that the other 2 are not so good!

Was up at Mt Amos on the weekend climbing RH Negative (classic, shame about the offwidth), and we noticed a bolted flake line just to the right of Incipience. Looked really good, was just wondering what it was. Anyone have any ideas?

Also, I noticed that the hanger on the second bolt of 'Wish She Were Mine' (that grade 19 bolted dyke thing next to the walking track) has been removed. Anyone know why? It looked like it was within 1/2 a metre of some gear placements. Maybe someone didn't like a bolt being next to gear, though to be honest the flake where the gear would go didn't look too great from the ground.

cheers
Cam

The Point-to-Pinnacle will be on the above day. The road to the summit will be closed at Huon Road from 7am to about 12 noon. Huon Road itself will be closed between the Ferntree Tavern and Romilly Street from 7am to 9:30am.

So if your looking to take advantage of the good weather forcast, either an early or late start would be the go.