First up huge props to John O'brien and Lee Cujes and the hard work they put into the "Stainless Climb", and their free assent in 2012.
On the weekend of the 17th and 18th of May Henk Morgans and I hiked up to the Organ pipes on Mt Beerwah to attempt to free the first two pitches of the "stainless anti-climb" an aid rout from the early seventies. Since then Lee and J.J have put a lot of work bolting and cleaning a free line that runs through the first two pitches. Going at a 45m 26 ans 20m 27.
Our objective was to climb these two pitches clean and then aid through the final two pitches as the original assentionists did. Henk and I spent the first day working the moves and soon had a sequence for both pitches. The whole climb is very technical and the moves are hard, right of the ground, with hard steming,bridging, delicate face climbing as well as powerful long moves.
On the First day Henk was able to free the first pitch and we planned to try top the route out the next day. I fell after butting in a huge fight for the first pitch climbing both cruxes clean but pumping out before the end. A similar story for Henk on the final pitch missing a crucial footer he fell just short of the anchor. Beaten but not defeated we then continued the final two aid pitches, ( my first aid climbing experience) and topped out just after lunch. We plan on returning to this route soon.
To add to the excitement and a sobering reminder to how of how easily mistakes are made. On our way off the mountain a hiker we met at the summit fell on the last few meters of the steep slabs badly breaking his leg, Henk and I quickly offered our help to him and his friend and aided paramedics and S.E.S along with a few other helpful hikers stretcher him the rest of the way down. Despite his injury he was in good spirits thanks to the professional and swift work of the paramedics and rescue services.
