A photo essay - images Margaret Ortega, words and captions Eric Duggan This image, Luca Wiles leading “It’s Alright Ma (I’m only bolting) (Grade 17)” Leonard Cohen Memorial Buttress 1 and 2, David Sheppard First ascent of Sleep Talking (V3) The Sleep Boulder 3 and 4, David Sheppard Attempting unclimbed project The Sleep Boulder Eric Duggan abseiling “The Jog Along Route (Grade 19)” Master Angus Wall Miles Jones, climbing Spook Fest (V2) The Sleep Boulder Bryce Williams, first ascent of Spook Fest (V2) The Sleep Boulder The camp saw 38 people on Saturday night and 25 on Sunday and Monday night at TASC lodge at Tukino Ski field on Mt Ruapehu. The first day had the mountain enveloped in mist and drizzle, and no wind to blow it away! It was a great day on the Sunday though, and Monday and Tuesday, although not as fine, were still perfectly climbable, although a bit windy! Richard Knott, Sandy Britain, and Fran Watling were responsible for some new climbs at Leonard Cohen and Rolling Stones Crags and also a stunning 3 star 3 pitch route on the Southern Buttresses. See climbnz.org.nz for details. On the Sunday Sandy and Fran, along with Simon Williamson, had led a trad course which was well received by all who attended it. Helen Chapman and Jane Dudley also put up a new route at Leonard Cohen Crag and Jenny Cossey and Paul Clarke did a couple of new routes on the Childs Buttress. There were a couple of new boulder problems established with Bryce Williams, sending Spook Fest (V2) and David Shepperd, sending Sleep Talking (V3), which no one else could repeat. These were both on the Sleep Boulder near Aorangi Lodge. David Shepperd and others were also trying a hard problem on the Sleep Boulder with a staunch mantle after a sit start, which is still waiting to be sent!
