Date/Time
Date(s) - Monday 15 April, 2024 - Sunday 21 April, 2024
All Day

climbing

DATES:
Arriving 15th April – Leaving 21st April

LED BY: Sean Ealey, Pat Grant, + others tba

REMAINING PLACES: 6

DESCRIPTION:
You’re invited to join a trad climbing week at Mt Arapiles,

Mt Arapiles — not “The Arapiles” just “Arapiles” — is the spiritual home of Australian rock climbing. We’ve got a coveted campsite at the Pines booked for 8 humans over the mid semester break. The pines is to Australian climbing like Yosemite Camp 4 is to American climbers. This trip is a rite of passage, a must do for anyone interested in trad climbing or climbing history.

Early in the trip we will refresh the team on Mulipitch skills, trad anchor building, trad gear placement then we will learn on the rock as we work through the crag classics.

Here’s a funny video of some 70’s climbers on a route called Golden Echo (18) rocking stubbies, whipping on dodgy hexes and belaying with hip belays. (We won’t be doing any of these things ) –> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrvaYmUQiQo

THE CLIMBING:
Arapiles has a lot to offer in terms of single pitch sport-climbing of all grades and hard trad. There was a time when the hardest route in the world, was at Arapiles – Punks in The Gym (32) FA by Jerry Moffat. BUT this place is Mecca for moderate climbers looking to develop their trad skills. There are a lot of routes with easy to moderate climbing and very good rock with good gear placement opportunities. This is where you get the mileage on gear and learn to be a nut ninja.

PREFERENCE:
This is a capacity building opportunity for the club. We hope to build a strong base of these trad climbing skills. Because of this preference will go to trip leaders with multi-pitching and/or trad experience and then to regular club members with some trad experience. Formal trad skills training outside the club or experience multi pitch climbing are also be desirable skills to offer this trip.

GETTING THERE:
The crag is 11 hours away from Sydney. We should be able to pile into a few cars and share petrol costs. There is also a possibility of getting there by train but it’s a mission: Sydney- Melbourne, Melbourne – Horsham, bus from Horsham to Nattimuk.

Some of us will leave on the 13th and break up the trip by stopping at a few crags along the way.

COST:
Accommodation costs is $30 per person for the whole time.

ACCOMMODATION:
We are staying at the Pines Campsite – https://maps.app.goo.gl/f9CpakSDFd2YBeA49?g_st=ic

The pines is to Victorian Climbing as MtYork campsite in to Blue Mountains climbing. It’s a big community scene with loads of climbers, especially during Easter or school holidays. It’s 5 min walk to the nearest climbing. 40 minute walk to the distant ends of the mountain (which are also accessible via car).

It’s pretty bare bones by all reports. Toilets yes. Picnic tables yes. Water: probably? Giant bouncing castle and spa: nope.

Nattimuk is a short drive away. Horsham is a major town about 40 minutes drive.

KICKING ON:
There’s an opportunity to stay on until the 25th if you choose. Leaving any time before 12 on Anzac Day.

More information about the trip, possible climbs and the history of this crag can be found here on our planning doc. —> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-6fjaRVQ71-lkbMYZd2blnoZzrobdoRfJolwRTmHLUc/edit?usp=sharing

Registration