Windows again

15-09-2018

With Tim’s crew

So I wouldn’t normally repeat this one so soon as there are other trips nearby I prefer but Tim was back and his trips are always awesome, plus  I was keen to see if it was possible to descend the side slot we visited from the bottom last time, also Ed still hadn’t done Windows and was free, and, well, what the hell

Anyhoo, Ed arrives at my place and we head off to meet the others. With a couple of extras the group was going to be over the max group size recommended by NPs so we decided to break into 2 smaller groups.

I’d head off with the first group and Tim would follow with the second group 15min later. Well I say Tim but we all know Chardie is the real leader, or so he says or sumfink.

We planned to take my pass up for something different. It adds about 30min-1hr to the trip depending on how long to spend soaking in the ambience as the route takes in an impressive bit cliff line that is riddled with slots and niches.

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Marchelle in a mirco canyon on the way up
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After a fairly hot muggy climb up the breeze coming up this natrural chimney was like standing under and airconditioner on a hot day

We spend a bit of time enjoying this and the second group breifly catches back up as I’m leading my group out.

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The plan is to meet up again at the top and stay reasonably close until we find the top of the side slot but first we need to get up my pass

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Laurie squeezing up the narrow pass
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morning tea with a view while we wait for the second group.
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Not a bad view either

Now we had a breif bit of scrub to get through then we should drop down right on top of the slot I wanted to look down and, sure enough I come to the top of a slot except I turned off the ridge slightly too early and living up to the reason I orginally dubbed this spot Kenobi point, this was not the slot I was looking for.

I should have used the GPS….

Anyhoo. It was a tad scrub-bashy but the slot lead us down into the valley easy enough and while it did threaten to canyon up at one point it was nothing on the other slot

Click to enbiggen

And then we split up again. My group would push forward with the bulk of the ropes and set the first couple of abseils. Tim’s group (Chardie’s group) would follow collecting the ropes which would then be exchanged again at the lunch ledge.

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Marchelle on abseil 1
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Ev Abseil 2

 

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The best shot I’ve ever managed to get of the arch that has the window

Actually, I don’t mind this one either

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I set the rope just to have it out of my pack and headed to the lunch ledge. Pointing the way to the ledge to those behind. Laurie missed the memo and as I was eating lunch I hear him call, On rope is any one on Belay?

NO, we’re up here.

I can here them down there but I cant see them. Is some one on belay?

We’re up here. No one is down there.

Oh, laughter

Crisis avoided…

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We finish lunch and have a bit of time to soak in the ambience before we hear the second group behind us so we meet them at the base of the abseil, exchange ropes and continue on

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The second group coming down
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Ev ready to continue through the Window

click to size up

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Emerging to confront the paparazzi
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Abseil 4
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Ev about 3/4 of the way down the 5th and final and most impressive and fun abseil

Once down we wait for the second group to catch up before all stringing out for the short walk back to the cars.

Another great day out with awesome people

Most of us are pretending to awesome while struggling to be normal. But what’s the point of normal? Normal never left it’s mark on anyone.

 

Time: A tad over 6hrs car to car

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