Giveaway Project of the Month -January

The Friday before Christmas saw me with a small window of opportunity, a few hours to tramp in the quarries with my camera, and enjoy revisiting some old haunts. The fact that the cloud base was barely above Vivian did little to staunch my enthusiasm, and I soon found myself well wrapped up and negotiating the new gates up lon garret. I swear one day those wall will bury someone's car...

Its changed very little since my previous ramblings along the levels, a few more bolts and a bit more wall on the floor, the tunnel through to Gorbals seemed a bit easier to negotiate, and the Oil drum glacier started off being fairly benevolent.. Until it tried to eat me. Roll with the boulder, support it and slow it, discourage others from following. The old routine and only a grazed shin. I swear it never used to happen, but I dimly remember always losing some blood every quarry adventure (milk blood to keep from running out) Still the glacier was hauntingly beautiful in the mist.

A wade across the tepui landscape of the salt pans was followed by one of Australia's fancy tricks; a 30 second cloud clearance. The fog basically buggers off out the bowl causing you to fumble for your camera, only to flood back in again.. See.

 Anyway, I got some photo's of this months giveaway, somewhat mist shrouded, but enough to peek interest. a viable line for a sport route, straight up a steep wall, with maybe some recourse to the arête (your call).

The ladder down to Vilcapampa is now leaning about 3-4ft further to the side from when I ascended it, and no longer on anything even vaguely anchoring. So I would definitely avoid it now, Instead use the crevasse wall approach (another well known wall of potential).

Enjoy