| Messages 1 - 87 of total 87 in this topic |
Double D
climber
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Jul 27, 2008 - 04:52pm PT
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Nice article. Nick, Java and Kim were a blast to hang with and funnier than anything BITD. Interesting that Tobin nailed the 2nd ascent of Denim. He did some amazing stuff.
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Barto
climber
Minneapolis, MN
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Jul 28, 2008 - 07:42am PT
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I loved the writing in the old Arapilles guide: Mike Law advocating for taking the whippers, chronicling the use of seatbelt assemblies as bolt to prevent anyone resting at clips, making it clear that Australia was fascinating and weird.
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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Jul 28, 2008 - 07:52am PT
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Steve, I really love your historical threads. Every time you post one, I'm surprised by how clearly I remember most every one of them. When I had these issues in my possession, I read and re-read them so many times that the stories and pictures must have gotten permanently logged into my brain. Thanks for jogging my memory, and keeping the keeping the roots alive.
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Rokrover
Trad climber
SB, CA
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Jul 28, 2008 - 08:28am PT
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I remember Arapiles from 1968 when it was a sleepy place being developed by Chris Dewhirst, Chris Baxter the Gledhill twins and others. John Ewbank, a visionary Sydney climber, nabbed the first ascent of a jam crack that had repulsed all Victorians who were not used to this style then. He named it The Rack and graded it 17 on his Ewbank (now Australian) system. That caused some consternation for the locals who were confident on grade 19 face climbs. Ancient history now.
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Jul 28, 2008 - 09:48am PT
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Hey those first two shots are of my good friend Mark Moorhead. He was quite a cool character too. Tragically killed along with 3 other Australian’s on Makalu. I wish more of you could have known him.
Mike
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 29, 2008 - 08:28am PT
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Bummer Mike! We definitely lost a lot of good people to the Big Game. In memory and image, they will stay forever young. What encouraged you to visit Australia in the first place beyond the great people.
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Todd Gordon
Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
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Jul 29, 2008 - 11:10pm PT
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Todd Gordon
Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
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Jul 29, 2008 - 11:56pm PT
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Mike Law (The Claw) Sydney Sea Cliffs
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 30, 2008 - 07:34am PT
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Postin' up de Law! Nice.
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Jul 30, 2008 - 09:15am PT
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Steve thanks for posting this up. I’ve actually never seen this article, my Mt mag collection stops at 70.
Hearing about Australia from people like Henry Barber, Kim Carrigan, Tobin Sorenson are who really inspired me. On a previous trip to Britain I met even more folks talking about it. There I met Jeff Lamb of the Lake District (he is in one of those photos above) he eventually immigrated with his elder father to Australia. I ran into him at Arapiles on both of my trips. I’ve written about this before, he died Soloing a few years later at Frog Buttress in Queensland. Super great guy and good climber too.
Here is a shot of Mark Moorhead when we repeated Tobin’s Turinga Wall. oddly it was the first pitch that no one could do. It involved slab like friction moves that the Australians weren’t use to. Just as Tobin told me it went at about 10c. It was a piece of cake for everyone once they saw the beta.
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Glenn Tempest
Social climber
Melbourne, Australia
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Jul 31, 2008 - 12:09am PT
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Thanks heaps Steve. Brought back a bunch of memories. I shot quite a few of those images in the article. Feels like only yesterday - except in B/W. Hey Mike, your Ride Like the Wind (25, 5.12b) on Wind Wall still commands big respect. I think the 20m fall potential off the crux keeps the holds from chalking up....
You may be interested that Simon Mentz and I have just finished the new second edition of the Arapiles Selected Climbs guide. All singing, all dancing, all color 392 pages. The guide will be released in about two weeks. I have a few images of it on my site at Open Spaces (osp.com.au) if you want to check it out. If anyone's interested we are taking discounted pre-orders before it hits the streets.
And just in case you're wondering, Mike. Yep we've included a sequence of images I shot of you making an early repeat of No Exit (25, 5.12a). Headband and all.
As you know Arapiles still sees itself as a bastion of trad, though one of the things I've noticed is how many 'new generation' climbers would like to upgrade (some) of the old classics. They feel the routes are too solid at the grade. Funny how the original grades that were seen as benchmarks at the time (established mainly during the 60s, 70s and 80s) have suddenly become 'too hard'. Hanging around and placing gear on steep routes is meant to be challenging....isn't it?
Glenn
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Glenn Tempest
Social climber
Melbourne, Australia
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Jul 31, 2008 - 12:14am PT
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Oh and by the way. Love the Hummer banner ad on Super Topo. Obviously global warming doesn't effect the United States like it does in our part of the world.....
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Jul 31, 2008 - 07:31am PT
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Now way! Glen Tempest!
How are you doing man? The new guide sounds good. Believe it or not I’m hoping to get back down under sometime soon. Just rounding up a crew for the trip.
Do you ever see Eddie Ozzls? I would love to get some photos of RLTW my camera was stolen just before I left that trip. Thanks loads for sending me that one of you took of NExit years ago.
Oh yeah, they can’t seem to give away Hummer’s and large SUV’s up here anymore no matter how much they advertise.
Cheers,
Mike
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Glenn Tempest
Social climber
Melbourne, Australia
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Jul 31, 2008 - 03:48pm PT
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Hey Mike,
Let me know when you are down this way. You've always got a place to crash here in Melbourne when you need it. Up at Araps the place has hardly changed. In fact in many ways it's better. The landscape is healthier than it was in the early eighties. More trees, less erosion etc. The Pines campground still has that special vibe (just like Camp 4 used to have back in the late 70s!). Our only concession is that there is now a small camping fee. Still, the rock is just as good, the climbs just as classic and the kangaroos still lie about in the grass and watch the climbers play on the rocks. If you want to stay in Natimuk there are plenty of places you could doss. Half the climbing population of Victoria seems to live there these days...
Take care. Glenn
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 2, 2008 - 10:30am PT
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I'll take one of those guidebooks mate!
Along with any images of the Big Orange that you would care to post up. The full Gramicci sequence perhaps?!?
Or a tale or two of that other Yank ambassador plennipotentiary in flight and foam -----The Verminator!
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Glen, Thanks
I’d like one of those books too so I’ll visit your site.
Dang Steve, see what you drummed up. Sherman does have some good stories from down there. Not sure I could get him to post up, yet…
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Glenn Tempest
Social climber
Melbourne, Australia
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Actually Sherman does feature in the new guide. We have a pic of him playing golf on the course behind the Mount (long white socks, bum-hugger shorts and yellow floral shirt...oh so eighties). We've also got a pic of Timmy O'Neill playing Aussie rules football (sorta like gridiron but much tougher and with no body armor...).
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ionlyski
Trad climber
Kalispell, Montana
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Hey Glenn,
How bad are the temps and notorious flys really in Dec, Jan & Feb? We'll be there, staying in Melbourne this year. That is the timeframe we have but some have warned us about the heat.
Arne
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Glenn Tempest
Social climber
Melbourne, Australia
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Geez..... Dec can be pretty good. Some days hot, some days warm a few (rare) days cool.....ish. Araps has enough shady spots to make Dec a reasonable place to be. Jan is getting pretty hot though and Feb is like an oven. In fact Feb is the one month everybody escapes to the alps and climbs at Mt Buffalo (or heads south to Tasmania). Feb is our hottest month so yeah, stay away from Araps in Feb. If you can get there in Dec you'll still have a great time. To quote Peter Croft 'Arapiles has the best rock in the Universe'. You won't be disappointed.....unless you do arrive in Feb!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 6, 2008 - 10:16pm PT
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A little cropped local color from Simon Carter's luscious Rock Climbing in Australia, 1998. Venus Kondos on the ultra-classic Kachoong (21).
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 13, 2008 - 08:50pm PT
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A classic shot from the Henry Barber tour. From On Edge-the Life and Climbs of Henry Baber by Chip Lee, 1982.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 19, 2008 - 09:48pm PT
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Handhold down under....
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 31, 2008 - 09:20am PT
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Hidden bump!
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Aug 31, 2008 - 04:27pm PT
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Bump again, and my compliments to Mr. Grossman for keeping us
up on things.
Steve, you do no wrong!
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Aug 31, 2008 - 04:34pm PT
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I was there in Oct. two years ago. The flies were HORRENDOUS although they do disappear after sunset.
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Oakville, Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Aug 31, 2008 - 05:04pm PT
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I was thinking, "Man, am I ever old, cuz I had that issue of Mountain Mag about the time I started climbing." And then all you old farts chime in. Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!!
Ah yes, Procul Harem. I can't for the life of me remember the name of their hit song - someone help me out here, eh?
Thanks for the scans, Steve. Make 'em a bit bigger next time please, on account of my eyes hurt.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 1, 2008 - 03:23pm PT
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Wasn't that Turn a Wanker Shade of Pale?!?
Any favorites Jim?
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Just got my new Araps guide. Its really quite the piece. Suppose to be a “selected” routes guide. But it still has over 1200 climbs listed in it.
And the photos of the rocks are like something you’d see on High Def TV. Never seen a better effort photo wise.
Captions and descriptions are pretty funny too.
Some of you folks who may be traveling there someday soon may wish to check it out here. New Arapiles Guide Book
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Any favorites? I remember some good climbs- can't remember their names, I'm at an age were I qualify for the 30 minute onsight. I liked the Grampions a lot.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 13, 2008 - 09:09am PT
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Tobin bump!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 30, 2008 - 09:41am PT
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C'mon, give it a go ya lug! Aussie bump.
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crøtch
climber
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Sep 30, 2008 - 11:13am PT
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bump
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 26, 2008 - 07:51am PT
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Holiday bump!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 23, 2009 - 09:13am PT
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Did somebody say Australia?!?
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barbarianism
Trad climber
Blurgemanvilletowne
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Feb 21, 2009 - 11:14pm PT
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great thread
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the kid
Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
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Feb 22, 2009 - 03:32pm PT
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i went to the land of OZ in the fall of 1986 with Steve Schneider. we spent 3.5 months @ Araplies and got to see a few other places.
arapiles is an amazing area and very polished sand stone- similar to the new river gorge.
i would love to get back there some day...
ks
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ionlyski
Trad climber
Kalispell, Montana
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Feb 22, 2009 - 09:23pm PT
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Hey Steve,
It was great to get together with you and Mimi just before we left. We've now just returned, having visited 16 different climbing areas in Australia/Tasmania. Arapiles was a highlight. We stayed 3 weeks.
What happened to all the posts on this thread? Weren't there a few hundred posts or is that the Gunks I'm thinking of?
Arne
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 15, 2009 - 07:38pm PT
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This one is a bit shorter than the Gunks thread for sure! I hope that you had a great trip with the crew! Post up some photos when you get the chance.
Cheers
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 31, 2009 - 08:02am PT
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Content Bump!!!
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CAMNOTCLIMB
Trad climber
novato ca
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Aug 31, 2009 - 01:30pm PT
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Classic
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Keeper of Australia Mt
Trad climber
Whitehorse, Yukon , Canada
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Aug 31, 2009 - 01:55pm PT
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Good to see the old articles on Araps - not that the routes have anything to do with my modest capability but the stuff surely sets dreams in motion as does thoughts of the two stints I have done down in the Wimmera. Hope to get back before too long to continue my tussle with old classics and to rescue a few skeletons from my developing Araps closet. Araps - a world classic lump out towards the black stump. Superb crag and just righto in the Aussie winter!
Lockwood's book is a great contextual piece and a worthy buy for anyone heading down under towards that thunder. I also have a complete set of Rock which has a lot of historical beta on the place as well - lots of wildly divergent and good Aussie humor in that portfolio too!
I have the first edition of the guide with annotations that track my insurgency so I will pick up the upgraded edition from the website.
Are you doing an upgrade on the Grampians guide too?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 27, 2009 - 04:43pm PT
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Anyone ever made a go at subsisting on this stuff?!?
Certainly qualifies as food and drink, all in one! My favorite stout!
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Pate
Trad climber
The Lost Highway
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Nov 28, 2009 - 05:09pm PT
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bump
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Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
obsessively minitracking all winter at Knob Hill
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Jan 25, 2010 - 11:14am PT
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So how long is long enough for a visit to Araps and maybe the Grampians? I've got a month, max. March.
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ionlyski
Trad climber
Kalispell, Montana
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Jan 25, 2010 - 01:20pm PT
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Coopers, yeah! Seriously, we're spoiled here in the US with micros. Coopers is a close as I could get, so it became my beer of choice. All beer in OZ is expensive, few selections and not that good.
Arapiles? We spent 3 weeks and blew off the Gramps because we didn't want to miss a single day at Araps. I would have liked another week or two. When you go to the Gramps you're back near civilization and tourists, though I barely saw them and am not qualified to judge but it is hard to beat Arapiles.
Arne
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Jan 25, 2010 - 08:30pm PT
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Wow, Anders - it's "Procol Harum". Thanks for the clarification.
And speaking of clarification, any chance Steve you could rescan the top pix as the text is almost impossible [for me] to read.
Cheers and Aussie beers!
One assumes nobody drinks Foster's in Oz, any more than anyone drinks Molson Golden up here in the Great White North, eh?
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Greg Child
climber
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Mar 11, 2010 - 06:36am PT
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I just noticed this link to some ancient history in Australia. Very nostalgic. A few days ago a major figure in Australian climbing passed away. Chris Baxter was among the earliest Arapiles pioneers, did hundreds of new routes through Araps and the Grampians, wrote many guidebooks, and was publisher of Rock and Wild magazines. He passed away after a long fight with conditions most easily explained as cancer, but not exactly that. He is surivied by his wonderful wife Sue, and countless friends who knew him as one of the most enthusiastic climbers, most vocal and funny, and most supportive of the younger climbers who came after him.
This photo shows Chris (, on right in white shirt) and Rick White at Mt Piddington about 15 years ago. Rick White was also a majot developer in Australian climbing. He died a few years ago also. The E painteed at the base of the climb is for a route named Eternity.
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ionlyski
Trad climber
Kalispell, Montana
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Mar 11, 2010 - 06:56am PT
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Hey Greg,
Welcome to Supertopo! We've not met yet but I've just missed you a couple of times. Kirsten is my sister, of Jim & Kirsten. My wife & I & kids traveled to Australia to climb last year and stayed a short bit with Sally at Blackheath.
Would you mind starting a new thread for Chris Baxter? It's worthy. We had a great time reading about him in all the guides, as well as the exploits of you, Mike Law, Kim Carrigan and all the others.
I think we took Sally to Piddington and climbed Eternity.
Arne
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Mar 11, 2010 - 08:06am PT
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Sorry to hear that about Chris. my condolences to his family and friends.
Hadn't heard about Rick either. I knew pretty well from the early Chouinard days.
Mike
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tarek
climber
berkeley
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Mar 11, 2010 - 09:08am PT
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bump
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MMCC
climber
New Zealand
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Pushing the Antipodes back up front. I smell gumtree oil, mates.
Edit: and content from Greg Child, my vote for best climbing writer in recent times. For example:
"Gasherbrums III, II and I poke up like huge tusks, their snows pearly white, their rocks shining amber. The sky is indigo blue, fading to a deeply pink upper atmosphere. Low on the horizon, a full moon blasts a surreal glow across the thin air, from the monsoon thunderheads over Indian Kashmir to Nanga Parbat in the west. A landscape from another planet. No, our own wild and beautiful earth."
From "The Obscure Object of Desire", as read in the "Mixed Emotions" collection.
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Paco
Trad climber
Montana
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My dad climbing Tannin (19)
Beautiful rock, wildlife, weather, foliage and people...can't wait to be back.
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chill
climber
between the flat part and the blue wobbly thing
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Went to Araps in '87. Still the best crag I've been to. The Pines was cool! Here's my wife coming up Christian Crack.
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Great thread Steve. Arapiles is definitley near the top of my wish list for out of US climbing.
Thanks for the post and all the great pictures everyone.
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gf
climber
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Hi Greg
Hope all is well with you.
Hey care to recap the procul harem history and maybe post a shot of the immortal inscription at the base of the crag in fond memory of Chris. I imagine it would give him a chuckle!
Greg
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 9, 2010 - 08:11pm PT
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Glad to see that Greg has joined in!
I met Rick White the year that he did the first Aussie ascent of the Nose. I have a slide of them around Boot Flake. Can't recall his partners name.
Sorry these guys couldn't stick around longer...
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MMCC
climber
New Zealand
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Oct 19, 2010 - 03:20pm PT
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Antipodal bumping. Want rock? Aus is your place. Arapiles, Tasmania, Blue Mountains, Grampians, All sorts of everything. Then pop across the Tasman to get schooled by the weather and bonked on the head by icy choss.
Edit: NZ has better beer. You bet.
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can't say
Social climber
Pasadena CA
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Oct 19, 2010 - 03:46pm PT
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Here's a few from when I was there
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 20, 2010 - 06:19pm PT
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Nice shots!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 6, 2010 - 09:11am PT
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Beauty Bump!
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MMCC
climber
New Zealand
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Advance Australia Fair!
But cross the Tasman for the beer...
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Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
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Feb 11, 2011 - 09:15pm PT
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 13, 2011 - 05:37pm PT
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OY OY OY...
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Sep 27, 2011 - 09:35pm PT
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Ausie bump.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 6, 2012 - 08:39pm PT
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Stumpy Bumpy!
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stokedsean
Trad climber
Canada eh, now Qld, Aust
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What a great thread.
Thought Id add some other personal fav climbing spots in OZ to the mix here...
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 10, 2012 - 09:15am PT
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This is a tidy bump...
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 2, 2013 - 02:42pm PT
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Yearly bump...
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harryhotdog
Social climber
north vancouver, B.C.
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I visited Arapiles for the first time in March 1984. It's where I learned about "Fires" I was following a guy I was climbing with and he walked across this low angle slab. When I followed him I slipped right away as the rock is somewhat polished but he had NO problem on it with the Fires. I was sold.
There was quite a contingent of local "Punk rock climbers" at the time all climbing quite hard. I was 22 at the time and I remember this rumour going around camp of an "old guy" going through three partners in a day and climbing heaps. Well it was John Fantini at the tender age of around 40. Funny what old is when your in your early 20's. He was still climbing hard up at Skaha just a few years ago where he has put up many 5.11s and 5.12s. He red pointed a 5.12d on his 65th birthday a few years back. Seems to live off bananas alone.
Some guys from Sydney who took me under their wing, Australian hospitality!
At Mt Buffalo, this guy who I climbed with alot went on to become a serial killer who eventually got caught and commited suicide in jail in 1990.Nice guy I thought but was a "kicker and swearer" on the rock when he failed sometimes. Glad I never called him on it.
Ozymandias is on that feature
The Cathedral, this is long before the forest fire from a few years back that came through. It burned everything in it's path. It's barren here now.
Mt Piddington, Blue Mountains I think.I'm wearing Asolo canyons when I should of been wearing Fires!
I think this is at Booroomba rocks, ACT or Mt Buffalo
This is some early rendition of what they thought climbing walls should be and I don't even remember the university that it was at.Good thing I'm wearing a harness.
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Ben Emery
Trad climber
Australia via Bay Area via Australia...
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The Cathedral, this is long before the forest fire from a few years back that came through. It burned everything in it's path. It's barren here now.
Not at all barren now; the snowgums have sent out new shoots from the ground with a vengeance and the undergrowth has come back - which can make for the odd bush-whack. Mind you, there is plenty of dead wood sitting around from trees killed by the last fire, so the next one could be a really big one.
Buffalo's probably my favorite climbing spot in Victoria; move-by-move the quality of the routes has nothing on Araps but it has a more adventurous/big-day-out feel and a couple of multi-pitch routes that would be popular even in Yosemite. And of course it's about the only place in Victoria where I can bust out the portaledge without it looking completely silly... :-/
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 20, 2013 - 12:39pm PT
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Nice shots Pat!
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| Messages 1 - 87 of total 87 in this topic |
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