Pipelines (Warning: a little heavy on the climbing talk)
Myself and James went bouldering this morning with a few of the "Young Guns" (Chris, Mike and John).
First time visit for me to a place called the Pipelines out at Glen Forest <Google Map Link>, basically named because there are several large pipelines that run through the reserve carrying water up north to places like Kalgoorlie.
It was a bit of a trek in, plus no real clear path up to the boulders but we managed to bash our ways through with tracker James leading the way.
Our first stop was an overhanging boulder with a V4 problem called Party Time, a hang start that forces you to get your left hand into a narrow gap, twist your body right so that you can get your left hand up and then throw right, heelhook, crossover with the hands to match and then reach around with the right for an open hand grip and then pop again with the right for the top.
Haven't really had a lot of experience grading boulder problems but it definitely seemed within my capabilities, the only concern was one area that you were likely to smack into a nearby boulder if you came off. So spotters were definitely good to have even if they weren't used. Anyways managed to tick it on my second attempt.
We then had a look at a V6 called Secret Government Ninja Moves, basically a hang start, right leg way up for a heel hook, left hand to an intermediate open hand hold, then the crux a pretty big throw left around the corner to a not so great hold before finishing up with almost the same ending as Party Time. We got close, but after quite a few attempts decided to leave it for another day, the crux was starting to take a bit of skin off. :P
We wanderred over to another V4 (unsure about the name), which was more of a slab, basically a shallow right hand uncomfortable crimper high, left hand on a side pull, get right foot up to a little nick of a hold, throw left hand way up and deep to a shallow ridge, right foot up onto another crystal, right hand up to a small edge and then a left pinch and worm your way up to the top out. Took a couple of goes but got it in the end.
Our last stop was the Grinch a V5, hands wide apart on an overhanging section, left hand on an upper hold, right hand on a good edge, right foot flagged out on the right and left foot on a smear down the bottom. Pop up to a sloper with the left, throw with the right for a open hand hold, pop up again with the right for a slightly better hold, get the right foot up, left hand to a pinch and then throw the right to a nothing ridge and get the left up to a good edge before working the feet up and topping out. Got close and reckon it's do-able, but the fingers had said enough by that stage. Got a bit of footage of Chris finishing it which I'll have to clean up and then post.
It was a pretty good day, we spent several hours out there and started to head out just after 3 PM. My stomach was grumbling on the walk out - one Growling Dog protein bar does not make a substantial lunch. :(
Fingers were pretty raw after finally getting back out on real rock again. Plus have all these little cuts and scratches from bush bashing.
