Late last year I made a few trips up to the summit caves of Tibrogargen with Lee. He was working on "Beast from the East" 29, I had a few shots too, but after he ticked the Beast he started eyeing off the ridiculous country between Beast and In Between dreams.
We both worked on bolting it. For my part I vaguely remember some horrifying swing to a giant grappling hook placement, and then praying to the God Ramset that everything would hang together till I got a bolt in.
Lee worked out some devilishly tricky placements to keep the rope safe through all the sharp changes of angle.
He then set about working out the starting sequence through the horizontal roof. I tell ya, I tried it and I couldn't even come close to making the moves work.
Lee did a spectacular one-handed-hang-one-handed-clip-rock-star move about half way up the 45 degree section that is such a crowd pleaser.
I was in way over my head and couldn't even dog my way to the top.
A route like this wouldn't even have been dreamed of a couple of years ago in Queensland.
Anyway, so about an hour after I phoned my big news to Lee on Sunday, he calls back, almost in disbelief, to tell me that he had sent it. First shot of the day. Aaaaaaarrrrggghhh!!!!!
So dear readers, get up there and have a crack at it, I dare you, I double dare you.
Read all about it on http://upskillclimbing.blogspot.com/2009/03/gaze-blank-and-pitiless-as-sun.html
There's not much in the way of photos yet but soak up the story. That is one stunning climb Lee.
"A Gaze Blank and Pitiless as the Sun" 30 FFA Lee Cujes
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More inspiring stuff from the locals.
I am a bit of a woos though.