Up up and away

The Swiss Gneiss kit! got some new gear can't wait to give it a burn



Today is the day and I'm frantically packing for my flight to Milan tonight in the big silver bird. Super excited to be getting away, relax and climb for a whole three weeks! Weather over in Switzerland has crapped out a bit over the past week so I've packed my woolly hat and I'm hoping for some nice weather soon.

I get in on the 27th then I pick up big burly Pat Reynolds on the 28th and big strong viking Tor joins us on the 7th. Can't wait to catch up with these guys and crush some Gneiss.

I'll try keep plenty of updates and photos from the trip coming over the next few weeks

Hope you all had a great Christmas!

Busy Busy

So I haven't updated in a while but have been very busy over the past month or so training and getting ready for Switzerland which is now only two weeks away. So crazy it's came around so fast! I haven't been climbing much at all but doing a lot of strength based training With Mark and the guys at Evolution climbing and training. These guys really know their stuff and is definitely the place to go if you want to get really strong : ) Thanks for the help guys!

I've started climbing again and I'm feeling better and better each week apart from being sore and tired all the time from the training. I'm hoping after a week or so of rest before I go I'll be feeling Tip Top when I hit the ground in Switzerland. It's going to be a great trip and I'm really looking forward to catching up with my mates Pat and Tor over there and hitting the Gneiss blocs. I'll definitely keep the updates happening and get some photos up as the trip goes along.

Happy Place

Tor linking up on the F.A. of Golden Pinch


I've been revisiting the Happy Place above the cliff line of Dark Forrest over the past couple of weeks. I really like this little cliff, it has a great feel about it. I repeated all the problems we put up there last year during a session there with the Norwegians, Tor and Simen and also Gary Compton.
There really are some great problems at this compact little area and I will get a guide up soon so you can all check it out.
Gaz C. on the Happy Pyramid



After repeating all the classics like Happy Pyramid V4 and Deadbolt V6 I finally managed to repeat Tor's Golden Pinch. I was really happy cause I couldn't touch it last time, I guess you need to be Viking strong like a Nord! I managed to clean up some projects there too over a few little arvo session's including the low start further down the slopey ledge into Deadbolt @ v7. A tricky undercling traverse on a variety of little knobs and nubbins produced Damage inc @ v8 and climbing out the low ledge under the roof then popping out and finishing up the mantle 'hydraulic' created 'Viking invader v9'.

The golden Pinch


I really will get this topo done soon, it's shady in the arvo so will be perfect for a late summer session.

Later

Lara Street

Ritchie on 'Aslaya'


Had a nice session at Lara Street on Sunday. Me and Katy met up with Chris Ritchie and Jason Taffle and headed up on Sunday morning. We ended up having a Cruisey day but managed to put a few nice new problems on the side of the Lara's Lips boulder. Chris added Aslaya nice V1 or V2, Jas added 'My ass is on fire, a spicy V3' I manage a few little problems including 'Prince of Persia V2', 'Johnny Utah V5' and 'Tongue n Cheek V5'. I also managed to finally haul my ass up 'Womb Raider V4' Which is a total classic by Pommy Jason. Nice one lads!

Mmmm new cragging

Found a cool little new area today up the top of Dark Forrest. Nice group of boulders with nice features, nothing super hard but a good little cruisey area. I put up 16 easy probs this arvo so I'll try and get some info up soon. Looks like some of it may have been climbed before?? but I'll put something together in the interest of getting of record of stuff. If any one ever has some recorded info for these crags let me know, i can always credit the first ascents.

Been resting the last few weeks so it felt good to be getting back out and getting some mileage. Now that it's training time again I'll post my training plans as soon as i have a chance. 11 weeks till Swiss to get my shit together.

Contact update

So I've had a couple of very close session's on contact v12 over the past week. I was hoping to send just in the nick of time before I start another block of training but the dream was not to be. On my best shot I manage to link through the hard bottom moves and fall just short of the top : (

I'll be back though and I know it will go down sooner or later.

Rest now for a few weeks and back into training mode.
I might post up my plans for this training block soon

Contact and the Dead Mans Thumb

Belted my thumb with my hammer which I haven't done in years, cold morning, good times! This week and next week was suppose to be an assault on Contact at the villas but now I can't even tie my laces. Hopefully It will feel OK to have some shots next week before I'm due for a rest and start training for Switzerland.

Fingers crossed