Blog from February, 2008

These photos are of the first ascent of The Dildo, a crazy little very overhanging dolerite pinnacle on the summit of Mt Wellington.

Every hold is friction - my hands are ruined. It went at about V5.

Photos by Dave Humphries. For some reason I can't get them to be in the right order.

Tony McKenny and Peter Booth have whipped up a guide to the ice climbing on the Ben: Ben Lomond Ice.

Maybe this winter will be a bit better, and I'll actually get up there!

Phil Box on his new bolted Ben Lomond Sport route called Tachyon Blues.

The rock on Ben Lomond is perfect for putting up sport routes. The friction is superb. All those aretes and faces are just begging for new routing. I can't wait to get back there.

The new management plan for the Tasman National Park is open for comment until March.
The new plan includes the 3 capes walk.
You can download the plan at: http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/publications/tech/tasman/summary.html
(the actual pdf is at http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/publications/tech/tasman/tasman08.pdf )

Comments can be made to representations@parks.tas.gov.au (read the guide at the start of the PDF).

Given there is a lot of climbing in the park, climbers should be interested in this plan. I'm not sure if there are any adverse impacts in the plan. There are perhaps positive benefits from the new walk because tracks will be upgraded, and new tracks may provide access to new climbing areas.

There is specific mention of climbing in s 5.4.8 (p24,25 of the new PDF).

Of particular interest are these paras:

Artificial anchors have been installed without authority by climbers and are used extensively by climbers and are used extensively at Mt Brown, Cape Hauy, Cape Pillar and The Moai (near Bivouac Bay) as described in several climbing guidebooks. These anchors damage the rock formations and, if they proliferate over time, may also degrade the climbing experience.

Action 2 - Consult with climbers on climbing policy and practices in the park including investigation of models used elsewhere such as designated rock climbing areas.

Wow, bolts degrade the climbing experience? That's fighting talk!

Given that there is a stated action to consult with climbers, there really needs to be a representative group of some sort here. Despite some initial work, the CCT is still dead. However Tony McKenny organised a group of interested individuals to meet with the Wellington Parks Trust etc. I suggest we need a similar approach here - the worst thing would be for Parks to "consult" with somebody who doesn't represent the broader climbing community.