And so a new sport is born... LEDGING!

[FatCanyoner]

G'day folks,

Okay, so perhaps it is a little tongue in cheek to call this a new sport (especially as we know this route was done at least once before, many decades ago).

A few weekends back a few mates and I did this amazing (yet completely terrifying) trip, traversing along a ledge running mid-way up the towering cliffs of Mt Banks in the Grose Valley. In total the cliffs climb close to 500m vertically, with two shale bands that cut across them. We followed the lowest one, then did the crux up an extremely exposed ramp. It turns out that ramp is actually part of an old rock climb!

So anyway, Bjorn, who wrote the report, has declared "ledging" a new sport all on its own... As he puts it, it's an odd pursuit in an obscure niche. Way too exposed and technically difficult for most bushwalkers, yet requiring too much walking for climbers

You can read the full report here: http://fatcanyoners.org/2013/05/04/ledging-mt-banks/

And this photo captures one of the most heart-stopping parts of the trip.

[davidm]

Friggen hell my hands are literally sweating so much looking at that! Looks amazing.

[FatCanyoner]

Friggen hell my hands are literally sweating so much looking at that! Looks amazing.

When I looked through my photos the next night I got an incredible adrenaline rush. I was definitely close to my limits dealing with that level of exposure. I roped up for the incredible narrow ledge in the image above. I looked at Bjorn, then looked at the ledge that is less than 6 inches wide at that point, and said "*&%$#! this for a joke, I need a rope!" It was a VERY long way down!!!

[vagrom]

There'll need to be a grading system of course

[north-north-west]

Friggen hell my hands are literally sweating so much looking at that! Looks amazing.

When I looked through my photos the next night I got an incredible adrenaline rush. I was definitely close to my limits dealing with that level of exposure. I roped up for the incredible narrow ledge in the image above. I looked at Bjorn, then looked at the ledge that is less than 6 inches wide at that point, and said "*&%$#! this for a joke, I need a rope!" It was a VERY long way down!!!

I'm glad you said that, because my reaction to the photo was "WITHOUT a ROPE?!"

[FatCanyoner]

I'm glad you said that, because my reaction to the photo was "WITHOUT a ROPE?!"

Bjorn is mad. He was inching across without a rope (which he had in his pack). I called him back because once he was passed that point, I wouldn't be able to get on rope. There's a challenging scramble right after this too. Even on rope, with no gear placements and me as a dodgy 'meat anchor' it was still pretty sketchy.

There'll need to be a grading system of course

Totally agree. I think a grading system related to the number of pairs of spare underpants that should be carried. This was easily a three or four based on that scale!

[andrewbish]

Friggen hell my hands are literally sweating so much looking at that.

Me too!!

Oh hang on - it might be the green Thai I just scoffed

[walkinTas]

There'll need to be a grading system of course

Totally agree. I think a grading system related to the number of pairs of spare underpants that should be carried. This was easily a three or four based on that scale!

Just looking at the picture is a "two".

[Lindsay]

*&%$#! hell! If some strange twist of fate ever found me out there I'd be hanging on with my hands, feet and teeth as well. I was scared just looking at the pictures.

[Wolfix]

Would it be way too much to have some bolts put in so those of us with middle names other than Danger can prussick across?

[puredingo]

I would need to smoke about 30 meters of that hemp rope to get me to even consider thinking about taking part in those kind of shanannigans!

[cooee]

I would need to smoke about 30 meters of that hemp rope to get me to even consider thinking about taking part in those kind of shanannigans!

Well said.

[Onestepmore]

I read your report yesterday via my e-mail inbox - glad it's not me, lol. I can sit here in my armchair and happily (safely) read about your adventures. Great trip and great report and pics - thanks!

And shouldn't the title be ' a new sport is Bjorn - LEDGING!' ?

[roodeny]

So a new sport Ledge bouncing till you get to the bottom mm , used to do stupid things like that when i was younger . Now i've survived though's years im not doing them again .

[ribuck]

I could do this stuff in my twenties and thirties, but I'd need a VERY good reason to do it now.

[stepbystep]

Looks like 'fun' thanks for posting.

[Taurë-rana]

Looks like fun, but I think I would need no pack, and a rope - not into unnecessary risk.

[Davo1]

Sheesh, I got goose bumps and sweaty hands at the same time.
I'm glad it's you blokes and not me, but thanks for the wonderful read and photos.

[north-north-west]

I could do this stuff in my twenties and thirties, but I'd need a VERY good reason to do it now.

+1, although I'm not sure there IS a reason good enough. The only possible escape from a bushfire, maybe.

[Taurë-rana]

Does age make you less confident with exposure to drops? After reading some of the posts here a few years ago I was wondering whether I was still as comfortable with exposure as I was 25 or more years ago, but I have tested it a few times in the last couple of years and am pleased to say that age seems to have made no difference to my level of comfort with drops. I would be confident that I'd still be fine with Fedder, and know I'm fine with Anne. I'm ok with almost anything if I feel reasonably secure.

I do remember my dad getting uncomfortable with heights in his 40s though after it never having worried him before.

[ribuck]

Does age make you less confident with exposure to drops?

I think everyone's reflexes slow down as they get older, and I'm sure my balance is not as good as it was when I was under 40.

I still do some fairly adventurous things, but not narrow ledges.

[Bluegum Mic]

For me its been more due to injury. I've had a bad fall on the most basic of tracks (simply caught my big toe on a tree root and went flying). Ive since then also had a knee recon on that same side due to a skiing injury where the only ligament left intact/attached was the PCL. So for me its a trust thing. I just dont trust my left knee and ankle to do the job with really hairy stuff.
Mind you looking at the pics some of that was a bit too full on for my liking rope or not lol

[north-north-west]

Does age make you less confident with exposure to drops? .

It's not so much age as an increased awareness of the loss of agility, strength, grip and balance. And the fact that I'm still too young to die.

[flatfoot]

That's illegible (at least to me anyway)

[FatCanyoner]

Wow, I find that age stuff quite interesting. Growing up I was quite phobic when it came to heights. I'd also experience really bad vertigo any time I was near a bit drop. I still hate heights, but I think I often push myself into situations of fairly extreme exposure as part of my mental self development. Ten years on and I am so much better than heights. I hope to continue that process.
And from another perspective, I recall when I did my first canyon we got to a drop that is either a short abseil (only three or four metres) or a water jump. Still being pretty bad with heights at that time I wanted to abseil. But then a bloke who was in his late 70's reached the drop, took one look down and leapt off. It was pretty embarrassing to see an old timer who clearly had no issue with it while I was cowering up above. Needless to say it was the inspiration I needed to take the leap!
More than age, I think things like kids make me think about risk more generally. One of the reasons I like walking with young people is they push me further. If it's just me then things like having three kids and being the sole breadwinner start playing on my mind!

[ferozious]

This looks like an awesome new sport!

Have you sussed out any other potential good ledges in the area?

[FatCanyoner]

Have you sussed out any other potential good ledges in the area?

There are definitely other possibilities, although it only takes one impossible section to block the whole ledge. I actually think the higher ledge across Mt Banks would also go. Elsewhere in the Grose the ledges look promising. I also wonder how far some of the other ones run around Narrow Neck etc. At the end of the day the National Pass bushwalk is just about taking advantage of these natural shale bands. No reason the same Blue Mountains rock won't offer up more interesting possibilities elsewhere.

[colinm]

I could do this stuff in my twenties and thirties, but I'd need a VERY good reason to do it now.

+1, although I'm not sure there IS a reason good enough. The only possible escape from a bushfire, maybe.

You're going to outrun a bushfire up that?

[north-north-west]

I could do this stuff in my twenties and thirties, but I'd need a VERY good reason to do it now.

+1, although I'm not sure there IS a reason good enough. The only possible escape from a bushfire, maybe.

You're going to outrun a bushfire up that?

Rock doesn't burn very well.

[ribuck]

If you climb up Mount Solitary by its little-used south tail, there is a short section of ledge to be overcome. It's not as scary as the photo at the top of this thread, but nevertheless many people find it un-nerving.

The last time I did it, we were just above the cloud. In fact the dense flat-topped cloud came right up to the level of the ledge. This made it look like it wasn't a ledge at all. It just looked like a track at the base of a cliff, with level ground (i.e. the top of the cloud) on the other side. We scampered easily along the ledge that time.