TR Seduced by The One That Got Away
Phil Box
patience is in order as I develop the plot.
3.30 in the afternoon on Friday Cameron rang and declared that yes he was
definitely up for a weekend at Frog. Agghh, I`ve already told the wife that
I`m not going climbing that weekend, what to do, what to do. Panic, panic,
(light bulb turns on over head), I know, I`ll resort to bribery. Ring, ring,
Umm you know I said I wasn`t going climbing this weekend, well, umm, the
guys just rang up and said they were going after all, umm yeah I`ll tell
them that they shouldn`t stuff me around like that. Err, how about I take
you to that Abba musical that you have been desirous of going to (ack,
choke, musicals, hurl).
Heh heh, I`m off to Frog for the weekend, but at what a price, ahh well,
one needs to make sacrifices for ones better half once in a while. Enter the
nefarious cast of characters for our weekend of hard crack climbing.
Cameron, Chuck and Hayden. Guys do you realize what I had to offer to get
myself to Froggy this weekend, do you know what it is that I have had to do
so that I can climbing with you guys. Stop that sniggering. The things I do.
The day starts out cool and clear as only mid winter South East
Queensland can. The high hovering over us will keep the days cool clear and
crisp for several days now and the orientation of the cliff will keep the
sun on us for pretty much the whole day.
A debate ensues which when resolved saw us go down the scree slope and
head left to arrive at Macraderma which is a 35 metre deep chimney behind a
couple of pillars. The shaft of the chimney goes down into the earth for its
full length. It was not our intention to downclimb this as a lot of climbers
use this thing as a toilet. Our goal was the climbs which start at the top
of the pillars.
The race was on to claim the easiest of the 2 climbs up there and it
turned out that I managed to get the jump on Cameron with Hells Angel a 40
metre17. Cameron was left with Easy Rider a 40 metre 19 which Cam claimed
that I sandbagged him on to (who me, sandbag, it`s never happened).
I`m heading up totally enjoying the climb whilst Cam is having his butt
spanked so hard he`s whining. It seems that since the guide book was written
the horrendously loose flake has gone and there`s now this smooth v groove
with grade 23 crimpers and no feet, so you`re skating your way desperately
above the gaping maw of the top of Macraderma chimney. Headspace is fully
being screwed with so nuh, he decides to back off and come up the same climb
as me vowing all the way to get me back for my sandbag.
Next up Cam consults the oracles, well the guide book I should say. He
decides on The Great Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine 25m 20. He
recommended that I should try The One That Got away 42m 20, so called
because it survived the Henry Barber first ascent invasion of Frog Buttress.
Now here is where the title to this missive comes in. Seduction, this
climb is seductive in as much as I`m standing at the bottom of the climb and
I`m wailing, I`ll never get up that. Cam says yeah ya can, just start and
it`ll all be good. I`m thinking, sandbag, nuh it wasn`t. I`m climbing, yeah,
I can do this bit, dude this is do able. Comes a hard bit, stemming,
cornering, I think I can make it a bit higher, I can see that jug, yesss,
I`m there. Ooooh, the next bit looks hard, hey there`s another jug 2 moves
beyond the hard bit, ick ook, uppity up, stemming, cornering, yess I`m
there. Way to go, didn`t think I could get this far. What do I do now, hey I
think that I may just be able to do this next bit, etc. Hard, hard, easy,
hard, hard, easy, sorta almost like a foxtrot dance, you know quick quick
slow.
So here I am half way up the long twin cracks bridging like I never have
before and I can almost hear the climb talking to me, seductively calling me
higher. Cameron in the mean time has attained a high perch from whence to
shout down all manner of encouragements. This feeling of communing with the
climb is exhilirating, I am one with the climb oh great master.
Chuck seconds me up thinking to himself all the while that he`ll never
make it either but he ticks it as well, awesome. What a great climb.
The boys head off down to the bakery at nearby Boonah whilst Cameron
leads Cock Corner a 30m 21 which is a steep slightly overhung handcracked 90
degree corner, classic route too. I seconded Cam having previously lead this
climb a couple of times. This is another of those seductive climbs where
after a couple or three hard moves the crack relents to allow one to have a
rest of sorts and gather ones thoughts to lead on up.
Cam has been yearning all morning to get himself on Fluid Journey 30m 21
and he highly recommends that I do the twin crack face route nearby called
Epic Journey 30m 23. I know I`m not up for this and I just know that I`ve
been sandbagged but I shall have my revenge. A couple of parties of climbers
walk past as I`m trying the initial moves and they soberly shake their heads
and announce that that climb is hard, way hard. So I`m working the moves and
french freeing and then aiding and I`m not even 5 metres off the ground.
This is silly I announce as I down climb or more precisely down aid and back
clean all my gear. You`ll get yours Cameron.
Hey Camo, why don`t you try Worrying Heights 30m 24, three stars too.
Highly recommend it too dude (heh heh). Oh the guide book is sooo right when
it says sustained bridging and laybacking in a spectacular position. Great
gear albeit a little on the thin side at times and occassionally hard to
find when one is sketching out. One short fall and then it`s my turn to
flail my way up with more than one french free move, more like six.
The good thing about going to Frog for the weekend is the legendary
Dugandan Pub for their smorgasboard steak meals and on a chilly midwinters
night what could be better than a hot chocolate or two. Oh yeah I nearly
forgot the day before was the shortest day of the year so there`s lotsa time
left in the season for some real speccy climbing.
Sunday dawns clear and dry same as yesterday. Warm up climb is Mechanical
Prune 18m 15 which Cameron has never been on before. I lead and of course
Cam followed. Dave Manks Electric Gorilla direct start 20m 21 goes next and
Cam shoes off his prowess for sustained laybacking up the widening thin
fingers seam, yeah really nice way to warm up.
My lead, Erg 25m 22 direct start is attempted but sadly I bridge across
to the pillar thus downgrading to 20. Carrying on up towards the hands and
then in to the offwidth top I get my ankle hopelessly stuck after it slipped
down a tad in the fists section. I got Cam to take my weight and lower me a
bit to take the weight off my foot and after a bit of work I got it out and
continued up.
Next up Cam is good for Black Light 25m 17. Amid cries of joy aimed at
the amazing finger locks up this sustained corner he marvels at the ability
of the first ascencionists ability to protect this parallel crack. I second
with equal awe up this amazing line thoroughly enjoying the top hands
section but totally stoked on the fingerlocks which previously I haven`t
managed to get the hang of.
Umm, Cameron, why don`t you do Venom 25m 21. Mate you`ll enjoy that dude.
It`s not that hard I swear, don`t take any notice of that little bit of
glass smooth diagonal offwidth. Yeah take all your big gear you`ll need it,
truly it`s not that hard seriously (note to all, sandbag revenge coming
up). If you climb most of it as a layaway you`ll miss most of the offwidth
and you`ll only really find it hard in the diagonal bit. Mate, you shoulda
brought down the number 5 Camalot from the car like I said, what were you
thinking.
Yeah well, thrash flail repeat ad nauseum with emphasis on the nauseum
he`s through with much cursing and aspersions on my parentage. Trouble is
I`m about to be hoist on a petard of my own making. I`ve gotta second that
mother and this will be the second time I`ve gone up that horror, oh the
humanity of it all. Well, For the sensibilities of all present, after all we
do have ladies in the audience, I won`t describe the utter ignobility of my
thrutching through the diagonal overhung offwidth suffice to say that I lost
skin in exactly the same places as Cam and (hang my head in shame) I pulled
on a piece (shock horror) how can I ever sleep again at night. It was not a
pretty sight, nearly as not pretty as Cams flailings.
I`m up for an easier climb so ran up Resurrection Corner 25m 17 like a
rat up a drain pipe after which Cam and I did a couple of soloes of
Strawberry Alarm Clock 20m 10 which is a wonderful deep chimney and then
Orchid Alley 20m 14.
Cam wisely decided that he should not venture any higher whilst I pushed to
the top after finding my way through the crux. Chuck headed up to the top
and threw a rope and harness to Cam and safely on the rope Cam found his way
through to gain the top.
I found that when I`m soloing (note highly not recommended that anyone
should ever solo, ever) my focus is honed way towards the climbing and
movement of me over the rock. It`s a whole nuther headspace thing going on
in there. Highly seductive and not recommended that anyone should ever get
started on this foolish practise. Enough of the disclaimers, hey it was fun.
Awesome weekend of climbing. Think of me when I`m sitting in the Abba
musical, cos I`ll be thinking of my climbing weekend that got me in this
mess in the first place (disengage whine mode). It`s all good, I`m doing it
for the wife.
...Phil...
Michael A. Riches
ddownsr...@bigpond.net.au wrote on 6/23/02 7:59 PM:
> Awesome weekend of climbing. Think of me when I'm sitting in the Abba
> musical, cos I`ll be thinking of my climbing weekend that got me in this
> mess in the first place (disengage whine mode). It`s all good, I`m doing it
> for the wife.
>
> ...Phil...
>
Thanks Phil...great TR (You're going to take the title of "most prolific
writer" away from Mike Mahaney yet...keep up the good work).
Buttttttt....(yeah, there always has to be a but in here somewhere...) "NO"
Sympathy, who knows, ya jest mite like the Abba thing...snicker. Besides
it's real hard to sit here reading about the mild weather you're having,
when we're having the heat wave of the century, out here in the wild west.
I did get out today, though...did some of my climbs in a local hangout with
the SO...Funny thing is, it was just opened last week because of an
avalanche (or many...) that had blocked the road in. Haven't seen a slide in
that particular gully, recently, but we had a bit more snow last winter then
the previous years...
Again thanks, there have been a lot of really great TR's posted in the last
few months, yours are right in there with the best and always enjoyed...
Ratzzz...