Rock Climbing TTP

2013

Date: 7- 25/4/13

Crag: Arapiles

Participants: DOIG rock with Paula, Jamie and Heidi

Duration of activity: 3 weeks

Incidents/Injuries: Lenny hurt his ankle in a fall

Went for three weeks. First time trad leading. Climbed at Bushrangers, Organ pipes, Heckle and Jeckle, Watchtower, preludes, Tiger wall, golden fleece wall. Lead climbs from a 6 to a 13 and top roped some harder ones. Learnt about placements, belaying from above, rescues and rope management. We had a range of weather and I learnt a lot and my climbing improved quite a bit.

Date: 25/6/13

Crag: Charleston

Clients: Grey High Students

Duration of activity: 4 hours

Incidents/Injuries: None

Only 4 clients turned up. I was at the bottom of the abseil station encouraging the kids as I wasn't feeling up to much else that day. We taught them how to use a prusik when abseiling as it was apart of their unit standard. One boy got stuck on his prusik a metre from the bottom so I got him to stand on my shoulders and undo it while both of us held the rope to stop him from moving.

Date: 26/6/13

Crag: Punakaiki

Clients: Grey High Students

Duration of activity: 4 hours

Incidents/Injuries: None

We assessed the students for their climbing ability today. We got to climb as well. I encouraged one student up a climb he didn't think he could do which I was quite happy about. One of the other kids gave up halfway however and refused to keep climbing so we had to lower him back down.

Date: 27/6/13

Crag: Charleston

Clients: Salvation Army students

Duration of activity: 5 hours

Incidents/Injuries: None

The group was not keen to do much so we just encouraged them as much as we could. I set up the abseil with Rebecca and there were a couple of adjustments that we made after some suggestions from Zak. I also set up and anchor although only a couple of kids ended up climbing.

Date: 28/6/13

Crag: Charleston

Clients: Mawhera Academy

Duration of activity: 5 hours

Incidents/Injuries: None

Bex an I set up the abseil again and it was perfect this time. I then did the abseil which went pretty smoothly. I then set up another climb.

2012

Trip location: Charleston

Group members: Zenzi Breitenberger, Julia Melville, Logan Froriep, Hugo Boss, Watson Green, Ari Kingan, Rob Bruce, Rhys Hillock, Jono Irvine, Cory Burrows

Duration of activity: 3 day sessions

Weather conditions: 22/02- Rain

                                 23/02- Rain

                                 24/02- Windy

Variations in environmental conditions: None

Incidents/injuries: None

Learning points: Placement of cams and wires in cracks and what makes a good placement such as tapering, contact with rock and direction of pull. We learnt how to set up an anchor from this.

We also learnt how to set up to abseil and how to use a prusik as a back up and how to loosen it again.

Learnt/ went over knots such as alpine butterfly, figure 8, bowline, clove hitch, classic, klemheist and french prusik hitch

Learnt how to prusik up a rope using short and long prusik and to tie a clove hitch as a back up.

Narrative: On Wednesday we learnt how to place cams and wires and also how to set up anchors which I struggled with but by Friday I had improved greatly and I now feel that I can trust my anchor if I was to set one up. We climbed on Wednesday and Friday which was challenging because of the rain which made the rocks a bit more slippery. I manage to get to the top of the three climbs I did even with only one good arm which I was happy about but wished I could have done more climbing. We also did abseiling on Thursday which went well until we had to let go and let our prusik catch us. I couldn’t release it by myself. Dave had to prusik up a rope to loosen it but because of that the knot on my rope got tighter and I couldn't get it undone so he had to prusik up again and undo it for me. I learnt it probably isn't a good idea to try to abseil with only one good arm.

 

Date: 21/02/2012

Trip location: Civic centre

Group members: Zenzi Breitenberger, Julia Melville, Logan Froriep, Hugo Boss, Watson Green, Ari Kingan, Rob Bruce, Rhys Hillock, Jono Irvine, Cory Burrows

Duration of activity: 5 hours ( 1 day session)

Weather Conditions: Inside

Variations in environmental conditions: NA

Incidents/Injuries: None

Learning points: Belaying with a gergory and ATC. Also using a pursik for back up belaying

Equipment name

Hand holds e.g. crimping, pinching, under hang etc

Foot holds e.g. sloppers and corners

Narrative: First thing we did was meet at the shed and get out equipment that we would need for the week like harnesses, helmets, racks etc. We then headed over to the civic centre where we learnt how to put on a harness properly. Not so easy when you have to undo all of the buckles and spin around in a circle ten times but we managed if not slowly. We then jumped on the wall and started climbing after an introduction to a gergory. Zenzi, Julia and I thought it would be best to start on the easy wall considering we had not done to much climbing before and due to the fact that my radius is fractured which makes climbing on a non slanted difficult with only one good hand. However I manage to get to the top without falling. Belaying with the gergory also went well and we then moved onto using an ATC and also using a prusik to back up belay. The instructors then gave demonstrations and tips on how to climb efficiently on the different holds available and everyone set to the walls to practice the new moves. We finished the day with a few climbs and left with a brain full of new vocab and ideas.

Date: 13/03/2012

Trip location: Paynes Ford, little lost wall

Group members: Zenzi Breitbreger Julia Melville, Jono Irvine, Watson Green, Logan Froriep, CoryBurrows, Rob Bruce, Rhys Hillock, Hugo Boss, Ari Kingan

Duration of activity: Day session

Weather conditions: fine

Variations in environmental conditions: None

Incidents/injuries: None

Learning points: How to clean a climb and abseil back down.

Narrative: After a long trip from Greymouth to Golden bay on monday we were all glad to be climbing on tuesday. We started off on the little lost wall at paynes ford which was on track 5. Zenzi, Julia and I climbed together and did grades that weren't too hard.

Date: 14/03/2012

Trip location: Sea cliffs

Group members: Zenzi Breitbreger Julia Melville, Jono Irvine, Watson Green, Logan Froriep, CoryBurrows, Rob Bruce, Rhys Hillock, Hugo Boss, Ari Kingan

Duration of activity: Day session

Weather conditions: fine

Variations in environmental conditions: None

Incidents/injuries: None

Learning points: Lead climbing and belaying a lead climb.

View from the top

Narrative: Today we went to the sea cliffs which was quite nice as they got a bit of sun. We learnt how to lead climb and practiced clipping in on the ground before we went up. We also learnt how to belay a lead climb which was quite hard as you had to concentrate so much more compared to top rope belay. We started off with a top rope on and with a back up belayer. This was good as it let us concentrate on just making a good clip and we didn't have to worry about falling. I found it much harder to lead than top rope as there was more things going on and you are thinking about falling so you make less risky moves than you would on top rope. We had a break around 12 for lunch which we had by the boat yard. It was quite a hot day so some of us decided to go swimming in the sea. The water was really clear and we could see tiny fish swimming around just below the surface. After lunch we got right back into climbing. I did my first proper lead on a 16 that I had top roped previously. It was a really cool climb with awesome views and I got up it without any problems which I was really happy about.

Sunny 16

Leading at sea cliff

Date: 15/03/2012

Trip location: Sea Cliffs, Paynes ford track 1, creese wall

Group members: Zenzi Breitbreger Julia Melville, Jono Irvine, Watson Green, Logan Froriep, CoryBurrows, Rob Bruce, Rhys Hillock, Hugo Boss, Ari Kingan

Duration of activity: Day session

Weather conditions: Fine

Variations in environmental conditions: None

Incidents/injuries: None

Zenzi being enthused about climbing

Narrative: Lead one climb and top roped a 17. Went swimming at cool bouldering spot with water to fall into. Did rope swing which was really scary especially because you had to jump out from the wall otherwise you would go flying into it.

Rob after pumping out

Date: 16/03/2012

Trip location: Paynes Ford creese wall

Group members: Zenzi Breitbreger Julia Melville, Jono Irvine, Watson Green, Logan Froriep, CoryBurrows, Rob Bruce, Rhys Hillock, Hugo Boss, Ari Kingan

Duration of activity: Day session

Weather conditions: Fine

Variations in environmental conditions: None

Incidents/injuries: None

Learning points:

Narrative: It was our last day in Golden bay and my arms along with everyone elses were feeling quite tired. I only lead a 15 top and top roped a 14 after which my arms were thoughrly pumped and I was ready to call it a day. We had a quick debrief then piled into the vans and headed back to Grey.

2013

Date: 7/04/13

Trip location: Arapiles

Group members: Rhys, Hugo, Bex, Alice, Cady, Jake, Ari, Watson, Ru, Lenny, Taylor and Logan

Climb names: Bushrangers Bluff- Bullet butress, Revolver crack and Cobb & Co

Grades: 5, 7, 6

Duration of activity: Day session

Weather: Fine

Incidents/injuries: None

It was our first day leading on natural pro. I was freaking out quite a bit on the 7 I did and really just wanted to go back to the ground but managed to keep going to the top where I had a heap of rope drag. I then went and lead a 6 on the sunny side and didn't find it too bad.

Date: 8/04/13

Trip location: Araplies

Group members: Rhys, Hugo, Bex, Alice, Cady, Jake, Ari, Watson, Ru, Lenny, Taylor and Logan

Climb names: Organ Pipes- D minor, Digaroodo, D major, Picollo

Grades: 9, 12, 9, 11

Duration of activity: Day session

Weather: Fine

Incidents/injuries: None

Today I did my first multipitch with Jamie, Rhys and Hugo on D major which was a grade 9. It was quite a cool climb with a little cave to get to the first belay station. I also seconded up some harder climbs that Hugo and Rhys lead which was good for me as I could judge if I would be able to do them or not.

Date: 9/04/13

Trip location: Araplies

Group member: Rhys, Hugo, Bex, Alice, Cady, Jake, Ari, Watson, Ru, Lenny, Taylor and Logan

Climb names: Heckle & Jeckle

Grades: 7, 13, 17, 15

Duration of activity: Day session

Weather: Fine

Incidents/injuries: None

We practiced pushing ourselves on harder climbs while top roping. I did lead a 7 and had my last three placements as bolards. It was quite fun pushing myself on the harder climbs and not having to worry about falling.