En route to Lorne this year we (most of the twitching team) went looking for the rare Plains Wanderer in northern Victoria - and we found him (or her, in this case), albeit with the help of a guide.
Conversing with the natives - this time at the hillside house rented by Lawrence and the mob from the Victor Chang - fantastic views! (Lorne Jetty in the distance)
on moving on...
Arapiles!
Anita gets the ball rolling with "Hell for Leather" (13)
"Resignation" (15), second pitch (above), and airy belay (below)
Anita gets the ball rolling with "Hell for Leather" (13)
"Resignation" (15), second pitch (above), and airy belay (below)
Less trivial was the appraoch pitch "Scorpion Direct", which although only graded 17 managed to spit me off. To add insult to injury, my trusty yellow alien cam proved immovable and i had to leave it behind. That pretty much canned thoughts of attempting the harder routes "Scorpion" and "Quo vardis" above.
On the summit pinnacle of the fantastic "Tiptoe ridge" (5)
Anita leading the 1st of 5 pitches that constitute "Hot Flap" (14), left Watchtower Face. The route wanders diagonally to the right.
Tony high and no-doubt relieved to be placing another piece of gear on the runout 4th pitch. And looking down the route from mid-way through the 5th and final pitch (below)
Wild stemming on the 2nd (above) and 3rd (below) pitch of Vandal (17). The 3rd pitch crux on this one is dangerously protected so you've been warned (and it was originally graded 12!).
On the summit pinnacle of the fantastic "Tiptoe ridge" (5)
Anita leading the 1st of 5 pitches that constitute "Hot Flap" (14), left Watchtower Face. The route wanders diagonally to the right.
Tony high and no-doubt relieved to be placing another piece of gear on the runout 4th pitch. And looking down the route from mid-way through the 5th and final pitch (below)
Wild stemming on the 2nd (above) and 3rd (below) pitch of Vandal (17). The 3rd pitch crux on this one is dangerously protected so you've been warned (and it was originally graded 12!).
The guardian of our campsite, stealer-of-biscuits and gang leader, "Grandpa"
The Salt Late at Mitre.
Disaster at Jeparit - all the river gums are dead - with the environmental flows present on the Wimmera River arriving too late.
The Salt Late at Mitre.
Disaster at Jeparit - all the river gums are dead - with the environmental flows present on the Wimmera River arriving too late.
And Lake Hindmarsh - just downstream of Jeparit.
Well on the way home now, and the Murray River proves a more appropriate place for swimming.
Well on the way home now, and the Murray River proves a more appropriate place for swimming.
That first pic of Tony on Hot Flap is a beauty - it gave me a touch of vertigo just looking at it!
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