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  • #1897 Reply
    John Knight
    Guest

    G’day all!

    I’ve noticed in the climbing community in general that there’s a tendency for mos tof the focus to be given on routes that need protection, ie. a 20 metre tall bit of rock that requires top-roping/lead climbing, yet there doesn’t seem to be much catering for people like myself that don’t have much money and like bouldering.

    Currently there’s only relatively few places mentioned in any guides that I’ve read that are bouldering routes, which leaves [the cash-strapped/those who prefer bouldering] in the dark. I’ve seen plenty of places that are great for bouldering, and just recently found a really fun spot that’s only a 15 minute walk from my house and would love to share the place with others and get routes set for fellow boulderers, yet whenever such places are mentioned, there’s usually a snobbish rejection from the full-rack enabled who feel that all climbing should be done on 15 metre tall crags and fun little corners are a waste of time.

    Are there any who share my sentiment and would like to contribute their own little corner of the world to others? I mean, look at the guy who presented Cottesloe Wall and got laughed at. Okay, it was in the ’70s, but that attitude certainly isn’t dead and I think we need to get over that snobbish attitude (after all, those kind of people would probably have no qualms about climbing gym plastic).

    Are there any other people in Stoneville who want to share their spots too and see what I’ve found? Two people, shoes, chalkbag; simple, cheap and fun. 🙂

    #1898 Reply
    Diane
    Member

    I for one would LOVE to know of more bouldering areas- and I have a good group of bouldering-mad friends who would also love to know where we can go to boulder. Considering the popularity of bouldering around Perth (just check out the action in any of the local gyms!), I bet there would be a great response to this.

    Of course I’m far from brilliant at this, probably around V1-2, so if you’re a hardman doing V8 or something then fun for you would be frustrating for me . . . .

    But I agree it would be excellent to have a guidebook or SOMETHING letting people know where to take their crash pads!

    #1899 Reply
    Chris Dorrian
    Member

    Hi John and Diane,

    Sounds like you are both pretty keen.

    Why don’t you tell us all about it? I have just added a new category to this message board for bouldering.

    Chris

    #1900 Reply
    John Knight
    Member

    Cool, cheers for that,

    while we’re on the matter, I’ve only really jsut noticed this V1-8 stuff, how does it differ to the standard, “I’m doing a 21” and where can I get some kind of chart? 🙂

    Cheers all! 🙂

    #1901 Reply
    Chris Dorrian
    Member

    Ross Weiter, author of the Perth guide book wrote a good article (published in the CAWA magazine – Western Climber) on the guy that ‘invented’ bouldering and the V grade system. He was a very strong, gymnastic, american guy who could also do one finger pull-ups (not Ross, the bouldering guy!).

    You may be able to get hold of a back copy from Maddy who is the current ‘Western Climber’ editor (editor@climberswa.asn.au).

    #1902 Reply
    Diane
    Member

    The V scale is named after John Sherman, whose nickname is Vermin, and yes, he’s amazingly strong! V0 is generally the lowest end of the scale and equates to about American 5.9+ (which some will say is Aussie 17).

    I’ve heard people here say that you add the number 21 to the V number and that gives you an approximate rating in the Aussie system- so a V3 would be 24. However boulder problems aren’t as long as a route- so you can probably boulder at a higher level than you can climb roped routes . . . . And some people will say (maybe correctly) that you can’t compare the two systems at all.

    But that’s just in my mind and I’m sure there are others who will disagree- and I’ve yet to find any boulder problems at any of the gyms given a V scale rating!

    #1903 Reply
    John Knight
    Member

    Cheers for that,

    Perhaps a rock climbing centre that provided V ratings on their boulder routes in the boulder caves would gain a few more loyal customers, eh Claire (hint-hint)?

    Which area are you around Diane, anywhere near the hills?

    Cheers again!

    #1904 Reply
    Diane
    Member

    John-

    I’m in the western suburbs, nowhere near those hills! And I don’t know why the gyms don’t rate their boulder problems on the V scale- I think maybe because the gyms don’t tape many of their problems?? It all seems to be ‘make it up as you go’ with a few taped problems. I’ve gotten a lot better at making up boulder problems for myself and others but I have no idea how hard I’m bouldering!! (Not very hard, I’d guess . . . .)

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