Dec
10
2006
| The Pulpit Inversion |
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| Sunday, 10 December 2006 | ||||||||||||||||||||
9-10 December, 2006
Keen to jump on the rock, I warmed up on Scorpion (15) to setup a top rope for the others to climb too. I then went around to the sunny side to lead Noisy Nuptial Nights (17), a 45m long single pitch ending 5m just below the summit. This was my second lead on Nuptial's, and found it much easier going this time round. The crux was handled without any hesitation. I setup a belay station to allow Tom, Trav and Frank up to the summit. Meanwhile Chris and Fraser were coming up via Scorpion for the summit rendezvous. The summit is now a barren landscape due the fire that amazingly blazed its way up the pinnacle. Luckily, the summit log book remained intact in its all weather cannister. We signed the book and did the obligatory summit team photo. The descent was via Scorpion. I down climbed 10m to Scorpion's belay station to setup the abseil rope and life line between the station and the summit. This allowed the rest to join me (one by one) on the station's ledge. As each crew member met me at the station, they disengaged the life line and attached to the abseil rope to rappel off the Pulpit. This process continued until the last member was left on the summit, Fraser. He removed the summit anchor and tied to the life line rope and I belayed him as he down climbed to the station. This was a tedious process but the safest option at the time. In the past, we descended via Nuptial's, but due to the fire the 5m down climb was now a very dangerous scree slope. By now it was 2pm and we broke for lunch. Chris and Fraser made sandwiches and a few celebratory drinks for a good morning of climbing were had at the camp site. Despite the relaxation, we soon went back for more climbing. Not Happy Mel
Tom had earlier top roped Scorpion with ease but the mind game of leading was now embedded. Despite an easy scramble to the 1st bolt, it lays 10m from the ground. And I was belaying 5m from the ground :-) Tom was very relieved to clip the first bolt. He proceeded to clip the next two remaining bolts. At the third bolt, the route forks. Which path to take? Follow my previous lead to the left or the right where everyone else including Tom seem to prefer? Tom asked for advice and I replied to take the left variant. As Tom moved on up past the 3rd bolt, he realised there was no more protection left until the chains, which was about 8m further up. "Not happy!", Tom yelled as he also realised he had gone past the point of no return (down climbing was not an option). "Not happy!", Tom repeated. Eventually, Tom regained composure and put his mind back to the task at hand: get through this section as the first major ledge was 2m ahead. He did get through it to reach the chains for the lower off. Tom's first lead was a great success. Well done mate! The Brothers Grimm
Tom and I joined the rest of the crew to watch Fraser and Chris work the route on top rope. Fraser's height seemed to give him the advantage for the high bomber holds despite them being slopers. The crux (above the 3rd bolt) claimed Chris, but he overcame this obstacle to tick this climb too. Trav still pumped, went up again (on top rope) and I watched his bridging or stemming techniques used as if it were second nature. Meanwhile, Frank seemed happy to be the camp bitch and took care of preparing dinner. Tom and I joined him at base camp. From here we heard a scream, "Fuck! Fuck!". It was Fraser. Looking towards the rock I could just make out Fraser on the cliff. Later, I was told Fraser was working out on The Brothers Grimm (20), a very hard overhung climb. He had just gone for a dead point and was expecting to peel off. The dead point meant he had only one chance to make it stick or you'll start peeling off the wall. Amazing himself, he stuck and screamed out in pure elation that he pulled it off.
Put another log on the fireDespite the devastating effects of the bushfire that nearly wiped out the Pocknee Farm, we started a big fire. Big is an understatement. After a lovely dinner, Chris stoked the fire with logs. Not satisified, Fraser disappeared into the darkness only to return with a tree trunk. Not a small tree mind you, a 4m long and 60cm trunk of hardwood. He simply just dragged it on top of the fire. This fire would burn for 4 days we reckoned if left unattended. We swapped stories of the days climbing adventures and spoke of Tom's Thai fantasies (catching Krabi's, downtown Bangkok and Phuket please I'm a Kiwi).One by one we went to sleep. Fraser being the last person standing (stumbling) decided to jump on his trail bike and rev the shit out of it - sounding the end of the days proceedings. Thanks Fraze, you crazy fucker! :-) The Inverted One
Today we decided to lead up Billy Bunter. Then use the belay station to second the next climber up and into the cave further left. Here another belay station was available for us to setup another top rope over Rumpelstiltskin (21). That was the plan anyway. We just needed a volunteer to perform the lead up Billy.
Trav reluctantly put his hand up. Chris belayed Trav up to the third and last bolt. The next three or four metres to the belay station was the crux. Holds become slopers and the rock slightly overhung. Trav rested a bit before passing his last piece of protection. He easily made the moves to grab the bomber sloper hold and proceeded to go straight up. Down below we all had the thought that Trav was somehow going off route, he should be traversing slightly left aiming for the belay station. He kept going up until he was 3.5m above the last pro, and level with the belay station - but of course he was now off route. Trav realised his dilemma and could not hold on any longer to either traverse left or even attempt an impossible downclimb. He yelled to Chris, "I'm losing it! You got me? I'm going to come off!". I watched Chris as he prepared his stance and readied his braking hand for the imminent fall. We all watched Trav in anticipation. It was going to be a big whipper! Fraser was ready with his camera to capture the action.
Witnessing this, we did not want to climb anymore. But we still had three pieces of gear on the rock. We had only two real options: Finish leading the climb or replace the last piece of gear with a biner therefore sacrificing this to the Pulpit. No one was prepared to finish the lead. Being Chris' gear, he was forced to clean the climb to the third bolt and replace it with the disposable biner. Chris did this and then Tom did the climb (to the third bolt) on top rope. Climbing was over for the weekend. Despite this, Trav certainly deserves the Man of the Pulpit award for this season. Strong climbing, gutsy effort, fearless approach and above all taking one for the team! I think we'll all learn from this: wear a helmet on lead, wear a helmet on belay (at the Pulpit), suss out the route above the next bolt and have a first aid kit handy. For more photos see the gallery: http://picasaweb.google.com/meltaxa/ThePulpitInversion
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