Arapiles Day 2 | chossclimbers.com

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Watchtower Crack.

Next day, we headed back to the crag for The Watchtower Crack, a 4 pitch 16. If you told me that the route was a solid 5.9, I would not argue with that. Touch exciting especially with nothing larger than a #4 Camalot – perfectly safe but you need to work some moves a bit above the last carrot bolt. On the upside, we got to clip our first carrot bolts (we came back to Australia armed with a dozen hangers) and the route remained nicely shaded being tucked into a large dihedral. Though we were positively baking on the hike down, we decided to make a quick detour to the shady backside of the The Pharos formation and its well reputed Lamplighter – a very appealing 3-pitcher with another sandbag rating of 14. The second pitch was indeed excellent and the third offered up a downwardly flaring chimney requisite of most classics. A quick rehydration in Natimuk and an hour later we were in Halls Gap, the touristy basecamp for the Grampians National Park.

Photos

Mount Arapiles (Dec. 2019).

Shirley on approach on our day two at Mount Arapiles (Dec. 2019).

A denizen of Mount Arapiles (Dec. 2019).

Shirley hiking up towards the Watchtower Faces (Dec. 2019).

Starting up The Watchtower Crack on Right Watchtower Face (Dec. 2019).

Higher on pitch 1 (Dec. 2019).

Shirley and Mitre Rock in the distance (Dec. 2019).

More pitch 1 action (Dec. 2019).

Shirley arriving at the first belay (Dec. 2019).

Leading pitch 2 (Dec. 2019).

Shirley starting up pitch 2 of The Watchtower Crack (Dec. 2019).

Mitre Rock from low on The Watchtower Crack route (Dec. 2019).

Shirley higher on pitch 2 (Dec. 2019).

Views across the Right Watchtower Face from the second belay (Dec. 2019).

Looking back at Shirley from the start of pitch 3 of The Watchtower Crack (Dec. 2019)

Leading pitch 3 of The Watchtower Crack (Dec. 2019).

A dressed up carrot bolt (Dec. 2019).

Shirley on pitch 3 (Dec. 2019).

Starting the lead of pitch 4 (Dec. 2019).

Looking back at Shirley from above the difficulties on pitch 4 (Dec. 2019).

Higher on pitch 4 (Dec. 2019).

Shirley topping out (Dec. 2019).

At the top of the wall (Dec. 2019).

A view of the crux pitch 3 from the rappels (Dec. 2019).

Shirley rapping down (second of two) with most of the The Watchtower Crack route visible. Click photo for a video (Dec. 2019).

Changing course and hiking over to the Pharos formation (Dec. 2019).

The Pharos formation (Dec. 2019).

Shirley topping out on pitch 1 of Lamplighter on the Pharos (Dec. 2019).

Looking back at Shirley from the start of pitch 2 (Dec. 2019).

Leading pitch 2 of Lamplighter (Dec. 2019).

And one more look back from pitch 2 lead (Dec. 2019).

Shirley topping out on the very nice pitch 2 of Lamplighter (Dec. 2019).

A buttshot from pitch 3 (Dec. 2019).

Shirley on pitch 3 of Lamplighter – this is the section below the chimney (Dec. 2019).

Shirley in the finishing chimney on pitch 3 of Lamplighter (Dec. 2019).

Shirley finishing the Lamplighter route (Dec. 2019).

Rapping down into the notch behind the Pharos (Dec. 2019).

Hiking down from the backside of the Pharos formation (Dec. 2019).

Admiring the geology of Mount Arapiles at the base of the Pharos (Dec. 2019).

Hiking down with the Pharos formation in the background (Dec. 2019).

Hiking back to the car (Dec. 2019).

A black roo (Dec. 2019).

Bard Buttress in profile (Dec. 2019).

Packing up for the short drive over to the Grampians (Dec. 2019).

Our very nice little cabin in Halls Gap, Victoria near to Grampians National Park (Dec. 2019).

Go to Grampians Day 1.
Go back to Southeastern Australia Roadtrip.