Ascents by Craig Hitchcock

Fabulous route to finish the day.

Great climbing.....a little exposed and heady

This is a spectacular line on great rock. Technical climbing and just when you though it was safe to relax.......the tufa system and the second crux looks at you, smiling knowingly that you're already smoked...........take!!!!

Fell at the last bloody hold.......forgot a foot placement and peeled off pumped and took a nice big whipper two metres above the last bolt................aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhh!

Really technical and again.....hard for the grade.......

Got it second shot. A bit pumped at the anchors but not too bad.....great techy climbing at the grade

Bouldery little shit of a thing with a very technical sequence and hidden hold.......hahahaha.........warm up my utt....I fell off hahaha

Good fun second time around, still solid for the grade.

I think I found my groove......thanks Tracey for the great support and super catches!

Wrong handed my self and blew the onsight.....

Again fun climbing at the grade

Fun climbing at the grade.....better than it looks.

Hard as fuck!!! Felt like 7a.....but my head is causing me grief at the moment.

Hard as for the grade......pumpy, bouldery and brutal

Put the last three draws on for a friend and didn't want to get pumped at all.

Repeat just for the fun of it.

Shot 1

Shot 2

Just ran laps until pumped each time.....Shot 3

Warmed Up on this birth canal of a route......not great but interesting start to the trip.

Repeat just for kicks.

Warm Up 3

Only route available......Warm up and don't get pumped....dont care about the tick 1

Only route available......Warm up and don't get pumped....dont care about the tick 2

Only route available again to warm up on. Don't get pumped!

Warm Up 2

Super route and so not my style at all.

Put the draws on and worked the moves.......went better than I expected

Did another lap to finalise beta.....all good.

Confused the shit out of me and lost my way. Climbed straight up the face at 6c. Not a warm up really in 30 degree heat.........I am a shocker when it comes to reading the routes here.

It was absolutely superb. 35 metres of steep tufa climbing, no hands knee bars and leaning on massive fang-like features. This route has it all and it is sustained for the grade......so much fun!

this was todays warm up.....Karine told me I need to start pushing harder and warming up on what I am used to warming up on.

Warm up

warm up 2

Great repeat.....much fun toward up on.

warm up to get ready for the project.

Putting the draws on and fell at the crux.......again......oh well.......fun route

Had a second shot pulled the crux and came unstuck going for the jug of glory after the crux........nice soft catches Karine

Had the hold, but hit it open handed and as I moved up to the jug..........BOOOM!!!! Off I came

Finally you are completed you steep bastard of a thing......

This route is tough to on-sight. Apparently hard for the grade on Yao Noi. Doesn't go the way it looks and its thrutchy as well. Will get it next shot.

This route is tough to on-sight. Apparently hard for the grade on Yao Noi. Doesn't go the way it looks and its thrutchy as well. Will get it next shot.

Blew my sequence at the crux and it was all over, disappointed but happy with the progress. this route is solid and a little weird to climb too. Definitely next time