UKC

'ow do?

Looks like I'm going to a family infested, but flat, Queensland over Christmas. I'll be back in Sydney on the 10th Jan, and flying back to the UK on the 22nd. Are the Arapiles SO good that its worth the extra jaunt down there, faffing about getting there from Melbourne, arriving with minimal camping and climbing gear and on my own?

I went to the Blue Mountains some years ago, and apart from finding it difficult to find partners, I was also struggling to find climbs I would be able to do as they mostly seemed out of my league. Plus I've been there and would like to go somewhere new.

So, back to the Blues, Arapiles or somewhere else. I climb up to HVS.

Cheers,

Lex

In reply to lex: Yes. Spent a month there in 2006, brilliant place

In reply to lex:

Spent a day there. Stunning.

In reply to lex: Arap's is simply that good. Plus the gramps are 30mins down the road....

In reply to lex:
Yes

In reply to Andes: yes.

In reply to tomrainbow: yes, brilliant and memorable. May be hot at this time though I guess?

In reply to tomrainbow: Yes Yes Yes

Its exellent and I'd say its probably easier to find climbing partners at the Araps than at the Blueys or Grampians... Not so spread out, everyone camping in one place etc

Enjoy

In reply to lex: in a word YES. Fab place with amazing climbing.

In reply to lex:

There seems to be a definite theme to the replies

I guess the heat means less camping equipment required, which helps.

Sounds great,

Cheers,

Lex

In reply to lex:

It's 'Mount Arapiles', or just 'Arapiles'; noone calls it 'The Arapiles'.

It's a world-class climbing venue, no question - but, at the time of year you mention, it could very well be smokin' hot. So think about that.

In Victoria, Mt Buffalo is an obvious venue for the hotter months. Tasmania would also generally offer cooler weather - but I have no suggestions either for particular venues, or for hooking up with partners.

I suggest you start by posting to www.chockstone.org, and asking for local advice.

Good luck, and have a good trip whatever happens.

In reply to lex: Having done the drive, I can tell you it's an effing long one from Sidney. Don't speed as you go through loads of country villages in Northern Victoria and my mate at least claimed the local polis having nothing else to do beside catch people as they go from the 90 limit to the 40 or whatever it is as you come into the town after 30 kms of dead straight empty road! It's all very Mad Max 1 up there. We left something like 6 am, pulled in to the Arapiles campsite at about 11 pm.

And it was too hot to climb at mid day when I was there a few days after Xmas.

My story about visiting Arapiles is in the "Vertical Diary" column of this months Climb magazine. So it was good enough to write an article about.

In reply to TobyA:

I'll be flying Sydney to Melbourne, then public transporting / cadging lifts to Mount Arapiles if I do go. I read in the UKC article from a while ago its always possible to find somewhere in the shade to climb so hopefully that, with a combination of early starts and afternoon siestas, will work. Unfortunately, as Christmas is traditionally at that time of year, thats when I'm visiting family.

I'm on boat, miles from land, never mind a newsagent - any chance you could email me a version of your Arapiles story, Toby?

Cheers,

Lex

In reply to lex:


I'll see what I can do although Editors Pickford and Parnell will slap me for loosing them a customer!

When I say too hot, I mean too hot in the shade. Pushing 40.

In reply to TobyA:

Appreciate that. If they ask, tell them its bait for a future customer...

40 in the shade is chuffin' hot... Hmmm

Cheers,

Lex

Arapiles is really good, though as others have mentioned, it's going to be hot at that time of year. We climbed in the Grampians over Christmas and New Year, and it was a case of climbing in the morning, taking a break for the middle of the day, then climbing in the later afternoon.

A lot of people will also climb at night in the summer months - best take a head torch as well.

Re: Queensland - it's not all flat. If you're in Brisbane there's climbing at Kangaroo Pt (heart of the city by the river), as well as other crags around SE Queensland.

In reply to lex:

Fantastic climbing in queensland.
Brooyar State Forest - grippiest sandstone, mind your skin
Kangaroo Point - Climb in view of Brisbane City
Coolum Cave - Woahh - steep, overhangy and pumpy makes for a fun time
Glass House mountains - haven't been
Frog Buttress - Nails cracks
and a fair few other places.
Sydney also has some easy access to climbing, but I've not made the trip over yet.

If you're after flat, come on over to Perth.

In reply to lex:
yes yes yes

In reply to lex:

The thing that struck me about Arapiles when I was there is that it's a great big playground. There are so many routes, at so many grades, that you can have so much fun, choosing your routes above and below your best lead grade, you can test yourself or you can play on lower grades. At HVS, you'll have great fun. It's a completely different beast to the Blue Mountains - like you, I struggled there and didn't enjoy it at all.

In reply to MikeTS:

to be clearer - there's a huge number of climbs in the Severe to E1 range, easy to get around, on good rock, in good weather, with friendly natives

In reply to lex:

People have been equivocal, namby pamby fence-sitting models of indecision.

The answer is yes.

In reply to lex: When's the best time to go?

In reply to 1poundSOCKS: March to May apparently. http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=1577

In reply to 1poundSOCKS:

Aye, beggars can't be choosers unfortunately. Jan is when I'm in Oz, so thats when I'll go. Morning and evening climbing, mid-day swims and siestas... I'll struggle on.

From what I can read between the lines of the other posts, it's not a bad place to be...

Cheers,

Lex

In reply to lex: Yeah, I was just getting interested from all the positive comments. I've already got a couple of trips planned next year, can I squeeze in Arapiles???

In reply to lex:

I have never, ever seen a photo of the Arapiles that makes me think "wow! That looks amazing. I really want to go there". It always looks pretty uninspiring. And given that it's the other side of the world with so many amazing rock destinations in Europe and North America so much closer, why should I go? Just watched the Fiday Night Video on here of Punks in the Gym; I suppose it looked alright, but nothing special.

In reply to Robert Durran: Looks like choss but is the opposite. Agreed if you have a week or two for a trip, there are better choices. If you have a month or two then Arapiles becomes a serious contender.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Not even remotely inspired by, say, http://onsight.com.au/shop/images/Kachoong.jpg ?

In reply to lex: Arapiles is a world class venue with heaps to do in the lower grades. I was travelling in Oz and was a lapsed rock climber. I went to have a lok at Arapiles on my own and spent over a month there, met loads of cool folk and was never short of somebody to climb with. The campsite and social scene there is as good as the climbing. You won't want to leave, although as people have said it could be pretty hot in january. You'd need to get up early in the morning for a route.

In reply to Robert Durran: The scenery surrounding Arapiles is not that interesting - just flat plains, but the quality and variety of the actual climbing is amazing. I was there just over a month and I only felt I scratched the surface of the climbing on offer. I went there as a jaded lapsed climber and fell in love with climbing all over again.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Well, I am kind of in the area... Whether its the best climbing destination in the world I don't know, but I suspect its the best in Australia so it would be rude not to go and have a look.

As long as its a different kind of quartzite than the Anti-Atlas near Tafrauote in Morocco. I didn't get on with the rock there really. Anyone been to both who can compare?

Cheers,

Lex

In reply to abcdefg:
>

Not to mention the *great* food available at the Pines campsite: http://openspaces.smugmug.com/Rockclimbing/Climbers/i-4jgVNx9/A

In reply to lex:

Hi Lex,

I've been to both and Arapiles is much pleasanter to climb on than the quarz around Tafraoute. In summary Arapiles is a very good climbing venue with lots to do, though I don't think it's as amazing as some people like to make out. Many USA venues are considerably superior in my opinion,

You'll enjoy it though,

cheers Hugh

In reply to lex:

Well, booked my flghts so certainly going to Oz, and more and more sure of going to Mount Arapiles while I'm there. There is another good article on here about "The best VS in the World". Looks ace.

In the UKC article one Mount Arapiles, whats the funny ball just to the left of the rope in the first picture? Is 'the Mount' Australias version of the 'close ecnouters' Devils Tower?

Lex

In reply to Hugh Cottam:

Cheers for that Hugh. That has removed my last qualm about the place. I'm no stranger to climbing in hot climates - I do live in Aviemore after all!

Lex

In reply to abcdefg:

No, not really. A bit to much like: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=564469&v=1#x7512349

In reply to lex:

I found the Tafraoute quartzite a bit bland - as quartzite goes, probably better that Gogarth, but obviously nowhere near comparing with God's own quartzite on Beinn Eighe.

In reply to shantaram:

Mmmm.... I think that might be a factor in the uninspiring photos.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Fair enough. And you don't even like the Stumpy sandwich? Ok - the place is definitely not for you.