First, I would like to comment on the bolting on Ben Lomond debate. Gerry - I think you are in trouble here. Ultimately the approach trial will require track work, but this should be all that is required if you had left the bolts for descent. Now you have a problem with tat and a degrading descent trail. I am all for leaving Ben Lomond bolt free - but a few wisely placed descent bolts will ultimately help conserve the area and add to peoples' enjoyment. The people rapping of tat are not weaklings nor poor climbers - that is a silly thing to say. Some of them are a lot fitter and stronger than you!

Second, I recently had the privilege of climbing Gary Phillip's 8 pitch route at Mt Brown called "I've Heard It All Before" 23, and the top 5 of 9 pitches of Adam Donohuge's "Deeper Waters" 26+ in the Tyndalls with Jake Bresnehan (...thanks Jake).

I have to say 'hats off' the Gary and Adam for putting in the effort to prepare these magnificent climbs for us all to enjoy. You should all get out there and experience these new bred of Tasmanian climbs.

Beware though the Tyndalls is "full on" - here lies the future of hard Tasmanian climbing with a real big wall feel and complex logistics relating to getting to the bottom of the routes. It is especially true to say that the seriousness of Deeper Waters is underplayed in the Climb Tasmania guide - a one day free ascent is still awaited and should not be taken lightly. I'll attach some photos.

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4 Comments

  1. Simon Parsons AUTHOR

    We also climbed Simon Young's new 5 pitch grade 26 route at the Tyndalls - thanks to you too Simon for your efforts.

  2. Gerry Narkowicz

    Hi Simon, if you read my post carefully, I didn't say people lowering off were weaklings or poor climbers. The people lowering off are EITHER one or more of the following 1. too lazy to walk down 2. Think the second pitches are inferior 3. Or do lack the skills or fitness to complete these routes. Unless there is an accident, danger, or impending darkness, there is no excuse to leave tat on the cliff. So this problem is not because of the removal of the bolts. We didn't have this problem before the bolts were put in. There was tat on Masterblaster, but this was put on late in the peace - mid 90's thereabouts. In the first 25 years, everybody climbed to the top and walked down. This phenomenon is the result of the attitude of a modern generation who began climbing sometime in the last 15 years, adopting a sport climbing mentality to the crag. The degrading descent trail you speak of is not a big issue - maybe 50m or so of scrub, and the rest is scree slope. The descent bolts created a grey area of ambiguity, where poeple were contemplating bolted routes on the Ben - a bolt is a bolt whether its used for climbing or abseiling. This is one of the last bastions of pure trad climbing left in the country. Lets leave it that way.

  3. Doug Bruce

    I was going to say: "Well put, Simon. Maybe Gerry will listen to you when he hasn't listened to anyone else." Alas, I see it is not so.
    There is no reasoning with someone who has a God complex.

  4. Dave Barnes

    Garry and Adam. You must be not getting laid to go out into the wilderness and prepare "rootes" like those. Fella's, you should be commended for that type of monastic discipline to your craft: climbing. The new Governor should commend you. Jerry, I have never met you but you do mumble a beer type of talk for a God bothered. I am sure the "I am" enjoys your mischief. Me, a common bumbly, a rabble-wowser, thinks that what these lads (G&A) are doing does represent the bold and the beautiful in neo-modern Tasmanian climbing. I would love to spend some time out there doing the business with these futurists. They make me feel old but heh. Jerry, you and Robert may have lead the last charge but it is these men who represent the defining lines, the sweat and sandbagging of the future. To the boys, where is the pathos, the eros and the gallows humour of yesterday? Pity this generation Y is so honest; it could have been made so much more interesting with a bit of licence. The Tindalls has the potential. You can bolt but can you sell? They will learn. Keep the Ben for the old men. Keep the wilderness for the future. Oh and for the philosophy. Yes Jerry, love of wisdom. No one owns a crag, that is mother earths responsibility. We are just visitors passing and that should be remembered. Modern Tasmanian climbing rocks just bring on the jaded truth and the fear and maybe, just maybe, we can get the country interested.