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Go back to Albany Day Three.
Old Man Of Torbay.
The following day it was back to seaside climbing. One of the top items on our wishlist was a single pitch climb, called The Climb (18), on a nice looking sea stack named The Old Man Of Torbay. Though neither a true sea stack (no swimming required) nor even a true tower (a large chock stone provides a walk off option from the summit), The Climb is a stunning splitter crack that starts just above the waves and requires a rappel to access. Additionally, the approach hike is fairly unpleasant as it mostly follows Jeep tracks through the soft sands of the dunes. Still, The Climb more than makes up for all those shortcomings.
Photos
At the trailhead for the Old Man Of Torbay (Nov. 2023).
Starting the approach (Nov. 2023).
Local plant life (Nov. 2023).
The painful portion of the hike (Nov. 2023).
Nearing the Old Man (Nov. 2023).
First sighting of the Old Man Of Torbay with much of The Climb (obvious crack) visible (Nov. 2023).
Racking up for the Old Man Of Torbay; visible in the background (Nov. 2023).
Setting up the rappel (gear) to access the start of The Climb (Nov. 2023).
Rapping into the notch and the start of The Climb (Nov. 2023).
The boiling ocean not far below (Nov. 2023).
Shirley rapping into the notch (Nov. 2023).
Starting up The Climb (Nov. 2023).
Looking back at Shirley from near the start (Nov. 2023).
Into the main splitter crack (Nov. 2023).
Looking up at the splitter (Nov. 2023).
Another view down towards Shirley (Nov. 2023).
Into the wide (Nov. 2023).
Getting into the wide stuff on the Old Man Of Torbay (Nov. 2023).
Nearing the summit (Nov. 2023).
Roughly the same position but shot with our tripod mounted camera (Nov. 2023).
Shirley starting up The Climb (Nov. 2023).
A closer look (Nov. 2023).
And into the main crack (Nov. 2023).
An incredible position (Nov. 2023).
Great atmosphere (Nov. 2023).
Old Man Of Torbay (Nov. 2023).
Shirley in the wide stuff (Nov. 2023).
Shirley on the crux of The Climb (Nov. 2023).
Views from top of the tower (Nov. 2023).
Old Man Of Torbay (Nov. 2023).
Shirley arriving on the summit (Nov. 2023).
Starting the scramble over back to the mainland (Nov. 2023).
Shirley back at the rap station (Nov. 2023).
Wider angle view (Nov. 2023).
Yours truly on the summit of the Old Man Of Torbay (Nov. 2023).
Back at the start line (Nov. 2023).
A view of the Old Man Of Torbay from the mainland (Nov. 2023).
Along the approach (Nov. 2023).
Sections of uphill slogs on shifting sands during the hike back (Nov. 2023).
Is that a warning (Nov. 2023)?
Nearly back at the trailhead (Nov. 2023).
Some interesting flora (Nov. 2023).
The nice portion of the hike (Nov. 2023).
Driving out of West Cape Howe National Park (Nov. 2023).
Go to Albany Day Five.
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