climbing tas, totem pole, sea stacks...

[wayno]

[GPSGuided]

There are permanent anchor bolts up there! How did they get down and get out?

[ILUVSWTAS]

There are permanent anchor bolts up there! How did they get down and get out?

Boat at the bottom, this at the top.....

[GPSGuided]

Thanks. That exit strategy makes sense. They are not too crazy.

[wayno]

they must have climbed it twice, since they had shots filming from above, but all the distance shots showed no cameraman.

[ILUVSWTAS]

they must have climbed it twice, since they had shots filming from above, but all the distance shots showed no cameraman.

It gets climbed regularly. I have family that's done it many times.

[north-north-west]

Without helmets? That's the silliest bit.

[horsecat]

They had some interesting ideas back in the '60s to get to the top of The Candlestick. These were in Tasmanian Tramp, Issue 18, January 1968 and written by Tim Christie. I could scan the whole ten pages of the article if anyone is interested in reading the whole thing.

[Wollemi]

Yes please, EquineFeline (haha!) - I would like to read the 10-page article.

Have crewed yachts out of Hobart for Sydney a few times - but never recognise the Candlestick. The diagram appears to explain why - it is both shorter, and tucked in behind other named features.

[horsecat]

No problems mate. I can PM it when it's done

[tibboh]

Holy crap they must be fit

[stepbystep]

I have a copy of the film made of the first ascent of The Candlestick somewhere. It's awesome. I should dig it up and post...will attempt to find it.

[wayno]

I have a copy of the film made of the first ascent of The Candlestick somewhere. It's awesome. I should dig it up and post...will attempt to find it.

if you can't find it, perhaps you could reenact it?

[north-north-west]

I have a copy of the film made of the first ascent of The Candlestick somewhere. It's awesome. I should dig it up and post...will attempt to find it.

Yes, you should. As soon as possible.

[stepbystep]

Found it!
I have a feeling this is the second ascent. Not positive. I interviewed Mendelt once, lovely guy and pretty sure he was in the first party.

Anyway maybe one of these dudes is a bwa member. Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/My0S68ruxQ8

[wayno]

private video, cant view

[stepbystep]

private video, cant view

Fixed!

[wayno]

thanks, what a historical gem....

[GPSGuided]

Crikey!

[wayno]

Crikey!

are you rummaging round for your argyle knitted sweater, to head down there and take a crack at it yourself?

[wayno]

Crikey!

are you rummaging round for your argyle knitted sweater, to head down there and take a crack at it yourself?

[horsecat]

Thanks for posting that SBS

[GPSGuided]

LOL Wayno! That was my first response when watching the guy swimming across and getting pounded by the waves. As for the 70s equipment and steel carabiners. Current day climbers are doing it easy.

Looking a bit closer, I note there seemed to be some confusion on the naming of The Candlestick and Totem Pole on the net. I understand the taller and bigger is The Candlestick while the narrower and lower one is the Totem Pole. Cross checking TAS ListMap, even they seemed to also have miss-labelled the Totem Pole. The islet where they labelled as the Totem Pole doesn't even exist at that location while the real Totem Pole is much much smaller and closer in. Odd.

[north-north-west]

Well, I'm glad that thing isn't on the Peakbaggers' List.

(Who was that bloke addressing the camera at the end? I know him from somewhere - and somewhen . . . )

[Strider]

Les Wood lectured me in human geography at UTAS back in 2003. I'll never forget him saying "Don't get me wrong, Launceston is a nice place. It's just a shame it's so far out of town"

[cams]

There are permanent anchor bolts up there! How did they get down and get out?

Boat at the bottom, this at the top.....

I think the usual tactic is to rap in to a ledge at the base of the mainland. Then the leader has to swing across and hook a bolt to get established at the base anchors (they have it easy these days). The seconder then trails the rap rope (still attached to anchors on the mainland) and then attaches it to the anchors at the top to construct the tyrolean to get back.