02-12-2017

Kent, Tim, Ruth, Doug, Sue, Pete, Toby, Scott and Me

When Kent put out the invite for this one I was pretty keen.

The weather forecast improved slightly as the weekend approached and a final check of the radar and 48hr forecast and it looked like we might be missing the deluge that seemed to be about to strike the rest of the state but rain predicted for around 3pm so I headed off nice and early to meet the others who had camped down there.

The usual meet and greet, sorting of  ropes and then it was off to pick our way up through the cliff lines.

 

A weakness in the towering cliff allows us to zigzag up between scrambles as the valley steadily drops away below us

A series of ledges guide our way, some ledges wider than others

And then we come to the most rock climbesque section. a Scramble up a chute that gets steeper the higher you climb.

It looks loose so I choose to wait for the others to clear the climb. Tim and Pete get up without issue. However Ruth has a bit of trouble so I scramble up to help her with the foot holds. Tim offers to drop a rope. With a little assistance Ruth gets through the hardest move to where she can sit on a ledge, wedged into a bit of a crack.

ROCK!!!

I look up to see a house brick size rock tumbling toward us. Shit. I tuck in as close to the rockface as I can.

Whack. FUCK! it slams into Ruth’s shoulder and I feel the breese as it tumbles passed.

I’m OK, calls Ruth. My arm’s dead. I need a moment.

ROCK!!!

Fuck I’m on some ballancy footholds. Ruth is wedge into a ledge above. A smaller rock goes whizzing past, thankfully out in space.

No one move up there!!! I call. Just stay still until we are set.

Ruth takes a moment and signals she is fine. Tim drops the rope and she continues up. I scramble up.

Watch your footing, Tim instructs. and if there a loose rocks on the path pick them and put them some where safe.

Thankfully Ruth is OK. Everyone agrees helmets for the walk in are a good idea. The others come up without incident

We continue on. We are at the halfway ledge but from here up the climbing is easier.

Belatedly Toby suggests there is an easier gully just around the corner that bypasses the chute.

It’s taken us 2hrs to get through the main cliff line. One small line of cliffs to go then we can start to descend into the canyon

 

 

 

click to enlarge

Slight drizzle turns is to proper rain and it pisses down. Within a minute what had been barely trickles turn into proper waterfalls.

One more spectactular 30m abseil I didn’t manage photo then we make our way down the ridges.

 

Capertee pineapple

And after a 4km trudge up the maintenance trail we are back to camp

Another great day with great people.

Group: All experienced

Timing: 9hrs car to car steady pace.

“Without new experiences, something inside of us sleeps. The sleeper must awaken.” – Frank Herbert

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