I've been attempting to find some sport climbs in the Blueys but all the online guides seem to be shite, with little to no info and rarely updated. Has anyone come across any decent guides online? Or possibly a decent forum? The couple of forums I've come across seem to get very little traffic. Cheers
Online climbing guides
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http://www.sydneyrockies.org.au/climbing/cragrouteinfo/cragrouteinfo.html#bluemountains
Is that any help, maybe try to hunt down some of those guidebooks stated. Im not sure about nsw but over in the west stores like mainpeak, mountain designs, and climbing gym stores stock most climbing guide books for wa, you pay a fair lot (about $40 each) but the information is well worth it. If not go down to a climbing gym, most staff at gyms climb outdoors and are more then likely to know some good info.
Is that any help, maybe try to hunt down some of those guidebooks stated. Im not sure about nsw but over in the west stores like mainpeak, mountain designs, and climbing gym stores stock most climbing guide books for wa, you pay a fair lot (about $40 each) but the information is well worth it. If not go down to a climbing gym, most staff at gyms climb outdoors and are more then likely to know some good info.
{ScarFace}
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And are there any 'non' lead climbs. As in access to the top and a fixed pulley to get a rope through to balet with?
You wont find any pulleys on any outdoor climbs, if they are top-ropable you'll either need to set up your own anchor over the top (trees or such) or go with someone whos leading who can leave 2 quickdraws at the top to top rope through. You can always rap down to set up your own, but if your rapping you can probably lead it in the first place.
I personally don't care either way, I'm fine climbing lead and a lot of the shorter climbs up here have a proper top out so you can always stick a sling around a tree, just remember to put a guard over the edge to protect the rope.
I usually boulder and do a little bit of Trad so I pretty much climb where ever I can find something. Problem is the missus is keen to give it a go and bouldering is way out of her league and I don't feel comfortable taking her Trad climbing, hell I'm not that comfortable climbing Trad, had a nut pull on me once, shat myself. So that leaves sport and most online guides are really vauge. I've been trying to get a hold of a guide book (apparently the Blue Mountains one is quite good) but it's been a mission to try and get to somewhere that sells them.
Not a huge amount of help but many thanks for the effort
The main issue I'm coming across is a lack of directions. As an example, Birdwood gully is just around the corner and I do a bit of bouldering there and apparently there's 8 sport climbs there, one of which is supposidly a 16. I've only ever seen one bolted climb and it's a 23-24 Others are worse, it'll tell you an area eg: Mount Blaxland and how many climbs are there and what grades they are but as for where the walls are or directions to get there, forget about it!
Be careful letting her lead, alot of people top rope outdoors for a long time before they even think about getting on the sharp end. If someone runs climbing courses that go out for a day or two out there that would be the best bet. Sure not a whole lot can go wrong sport climbing but id hardly choose it as an option for a first time climber, most gyms wont even teach you to lead until your climbing at around 17-18. It might get a bit more work going and getting some static or something to set up an anchor but id highly suggest letting her top rope stuff first. Climbing can be a dangerous thing and most accidents happen to those who arnt sure or confident in what they are doing.
No I'd definately be climbing lead and it would be all climbs that could be top roped. I don't think she'd ever climb lead to be honest, she doesn't like the idea of an extended fall and thinks I'm a bit nuts for doing it.
I've got a reasonable amount of experience having climbed for about 11 years but I've been pretty anti-social the last few years, bouldering in secret spots with the same couple of people, so I don't really know any other climbers these days. Hence the need for a guide.
I've got a reasonable amount of experience having climbed for about 11 years but I've been pretty anti-social the last few years, bouldering in secret spots with the same couple of people, so I don't really know any other climbers these days. Hence the need for a guide.
{ScarFace}
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If shes not leading whats the dilly dally? Theres very little in the way of full traditional routes. Go find something easy, it doesnt even have to be a route, just climb it yourself first to make sure, set up a top rop by tying some static around a tree with 2 locking biners on it and get climbing! Although if your going to climb with her shes going to need her own gear anyway so why not go spend a few hours in a gym first so she can try on and get some gear as well if she likes it. I know this might be harder given your area but if shes not into the idea of falling im not sure how well climbings going to go. Falls are just part of it.
She's been climbing indoors and is okay with a small fall of a meter or so, a few meters of free fall on the other hand doesn't float her boat. I still need to find a decent guide though as most of the stuff I climb is beyond her ability and if I'm going to spend a few hours wandering around looking for stuff it'll be to find a new boulder problem not a crappy grade 12 climb.
And I know it doesn't make a huge amount of difference but I'd rather have one of my climbing buddies belaying me if I'm climbing trad. She's belayed me indoors and did fine but I get a bit nervous climbing trad at the best of times (especially on the rock we have up here) as I've had pro pull on me in the past. So if it's just the 2 of us then I'm a lot happier climbing sport to set up a top rope, I just need to find one of these easier climbs that supposedly exists up here.
And I know it doesn't make a huge amount of difference but I'd rather have one of my climbing buddies belaying me if I'm climbing trad. She's belayed me indoors and did fine but I get a bit nervous climbing trad at the best of times (especially on the rock we have up here) as I've had pro pull on me in the past. So if it's just the 2 of us then I'm a lot happier climbing sport to set up a top rope, I just need to find one of these easier climbs that supposedly exists up here.
Youd let her belay you leading sport but not trad? They are the same thing belaying wise. Its not the belayers fault you probably did a shit placement of protection. Belaying any leading is the important bit, climbing lead is just climbing, thats easy, the belayer has all the control weather you live or die. Oh well its not my life here, whatever you feel comfortable with.
If you cant find information in online guides, contact the clubs, 2 minutes on that site i linked i found the person to email in regards to buying a the blue mountains guide book.
If you cant find information in online guides, contact the clubs, 2 minutes on that site i linked i found the person to email in regards to buying a the blue mountains guide book.
3viltoast3r
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Little high jack: Me and a few friends have recently got quite interested in the sport - We have our own harness, shoes, and a few Biners, And we go to an indoor gym quite reguarly, and now we want to start dabbling in outdoors - Obviously I'm guessing we need to be doing top-ropable to start off - What's the best way to get started? (Don't have any dynamic), So would a guided tour/day course/that sort of thing be required?
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Most climbers advise of doing those day courses. Me and my climbing partner got some guide books and went bouldering outdoors to start with, nothing insane but its gave us a feel for rock, around the same time we were starting to lead indoors, we kind of skipped the whole top rope first outdoors, and went with some guys we knew who were experienced and just did some low level leads and worked up (were climbing 22's in the gym and about 13/14's outdoors at the start)
Be prepared to almost start from scratch again climbing outdoors though, gyms get you strong but do have really shit technique. and technique and mental strength rules supreme on real rock.
If you dont do the courses read up on knots and practise until you can do them sweet, read up on equalising anchors and setting up anchors. Im not sure what your gym uses for belays but i assume youd be using an atc outdoors and a grigri in the gym, so get some time on an atc because they are a whole new kettle of fish (pretty easy just top roping, but i went from grigri top roping to atc leading and you really do need to think and pay attention)
Then theres gear, Starting out it can be pretty expensive, maybe not so compared to bikes, and you can probably split costs but a ropes around $300, 4 or so locking biners, length of static, some more static for a belayers anchor depending on weight differences, some belays and belaying carabiners
Talk to your gym though, see what they say, they may reccommend a course provider or something, might tell you some spots to go and play around on. Before you do anything yourself though make sure you know what your doing, maybe talk to some climbers in the gym see if you can tag along and watch them, you can learn alot just talking to others.
Be prepared to almost start from scratch again climbing outdoors though, gyms get you strong but do have really shit technique. and technique and mental strength rules supreme on real rock.
If you dont do the courses read up on knots and practise until you can do them sweet, read up on equalising anchors and setting up anchors. Im not sure what your gym uses for belays but i assume youd be using an atc outdoors and a grigri in the gym, so get some time on an atc because they are a whole new kettle of fish (pretty easy just top roping, but i went from grigri top roping to atc leading and you really do need to think and pay attention)
Then theres gear, Starting out it can be pretty expensive, maybe not so compared to bikes, and you can probably split costs but a ropes around $300, 4 or so locking biners, length of static, some more static for a belayers anchor depending on weight differences, some belays and belaying carabiners
Talk to your gym though, see what they say, they may reccommend a course provider or something, might tell you some spots to go and play around on. Before you do anything yourself though make sure you know what your doing, maybe talk to some climbers in the gym see if you can tag along and watch them, you can learn alot just talking to others.
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3viltoast3r
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Thanks for the help, much appreciated!
whatever13
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Even though it's victorian this is the forum to get in contact with the most bluies climbers:
http://www.chockstone.org/
Online guides are not great but the best is here:
http://www.climb.org.au/index.php?page_id=10&action=region®ion_id=2
Why not just go buy a hard copy bluies guide? There is also a 'selected sport climbing' version now but you may as well get all of it.
http://www.onsight.com.au/publications/blue-mtns2010.html