Ozymandias Direct Aid Solo Climb – Part 1: Preparation

Ozymandias is a colossal classic aid climb situated on the North Wall of the Mount Buffalo Gorge. Ozymandias Direct takes the longest and steepest line, climbing over 280m. It is considered to be the premier Australian big-wall test piece.

I aid solo climbed Ozymandias Direct over a period of 4 days, spending 3 nights in hanging bivouacs. This was my first solo and first big-wall climbing experience.

Part 1 details preparation leading up to the climb.

Part 2 is a daily trip report with lots of photos, some beta and and some advice from my lessons learned.

Background

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert . . . Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
‘My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!’
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

Percy Bysshe Shelley, 1818

Since my humble beginnings in outdoor climbing I have heard brutal and awe inspiring stories of Ozymandias. A intimidating granite gargantuan, split by a relentless crack system, terraced with great roofs, and guarded by a committing and dangerous approach. The wildly exposed 280m normally undertaken with clean-aid techniques requiring gear hauling and overnight big-wall tactics. It has always been in my mind to one day attempt an ascent. My regular climbing partner once suggested the proper way would be for me to climb Ozy with another burgeoning big-wall climber, for the ultimate adventure.

My first trip to Mt Buffalo and my first Trad lead experience involved a committed start on a ledge some 30 metres below the hang-glider ramp, just as some form of alpine pulse-storm appeared out of nowhere. Thank god for the abrasive Buffalo granite. Later I was introduced to the Gorge “big routes” by my regular partner Dan, with a 9 hour free ascent of Where Angels Fear to Tread, a 280m grade 17 fist-crack in mid 2016. Later that year I cut my aid climbing teeth with Dan on the exposed and committing Defender of the Faith. This was an 11 hour ordeal including the multiple rappel approach, covering the first 3 pitches at M3 and a final rope-climb. These experiences taught me the criticality of speed and efficiency to undertaking big routes on a time frame.

Promise

Months and years passed without an opportunity to get on Ozy. I wanted to prove to myself that I was still able to undertake such an epic adventure so going one step further I secretly promised to climb Ozymandias solo by my 30th birthday.

Over the next year I began endurance training through long distance mixed-terrain bike rides. This involved over 1000km in 8-weeks culminating in a 7-hour 120km ride with 1,160m elevation gain, 4-weeks out. Better late than never, I set out the month before my 31st.

Day -1: Ozymandias Direct Final Preparation

Sat 20/04/19

Up after midnight, I make final packing arrangements, schedule and Topo notes. I try on the loaded haul bag for the first time, and the weight is shocking. Who knows how I will manage the south-side track. Dan had suggested two walk-ins may be necessary. I hope not being such a heinous approach (both the benefit and drawback of this approach is that retreat becomes a very unappealing option).

It finally occurs to me why my hamstrings have been aching – the previous days moving out of my home for the last year. Good warm-up I suppose.

Plan and Expected Route Beta

Plan is to descend/approach via the south side gorge trail, carrying only 2 litres water for the hike in. The remaining 12 litres of water will be filled from Crystal Brook in the valley floor during the first bivouac. Based on a common 2-day/2-person ascent, the climb solo is planned to span 3 days and 2 nights with hanging bivouacs at Big Grassy and the Gledhill Bivvy. Food and water is calculated for 4 days. In the worst case scenario, a retreat back into the valley should yield additional water but a very daunting escape.

Ozymandias Day 0

• Descend South Side Trail 2hr
• Fix P1; 24m 2hr
  • Slab free-moves, stick clip first bolt?
  • Up past 2 bolts, free easily to bolt, ramp into corner
• Bivouac Valley Floor?

Ozymandias Day 1

• 0600 Jumar, haul P1; 2hr
• 0800 Lead, clean, haul P2; 3hr
  • Small RPs to #3, #4 cams. Cam hooks.
• 1100 Lead, clean, haul P3; 3hr
  • Aid Crux. Medium wires, RPs, micro-cams ,fixed-gear, hooks.
  • Up corner, slightly right into continuation, then eventually move left to small ledge.
  • Grade 10 free moves to gain Big Grassy.
• 1400 Fix P4; 1hr; 1hr
• 1500 Bivouac Big Grassy

Ozymandias Day 2

• 0600 Jumar, haul P4; 2hr
• 0800 Lead, clean, haul P5 (to Roof); 3hr
  • Don’t go left. Small/medium wires, small cams.
  • Corner to yellow roof.
• 1100 Lead, clean, haul P6 (thru Roof); 3hr
  • Fixed gear through roof. RPs, wires, tie-offs for old bolts. Bolts to hanging belay (Gledhill Bivvy). Bolts to roof.
• 1400 Fix P7; 1hr
  • Small wires to #4 cams. Move right before pulling thru roof. Cam-jug past the pontooth (fang). Some fixed gear.
• 1500 Bivouac Gledhill Bivvy (*Hanging)

Ozymandias Day 3

• 0700 Jumar, haul P7
• 0900 Lead, clean, haul P8 (haul to left); 3hr
  • Up/right to a ledge, up chimney, belay below summit-block. Easy Chimney, a bit run-out.
• 1200 Lead, clean, haul P9; 3hr
  • Cam-jug #4 and #5. Small pro in crack to left.
• 1500 *Top Out*. Walk back to stone shelter via tourist-track.

Ozymandias Day 4

• Contingency

Ozymandias Packing List

The majority of items to be packed into haul-bag AKA the “pig”, with small items separated into top pocket. Food, cookware, toiletries and warm-clothes in separate packing cells. Bulk water packed into the base with shelter and warm-clothes at the top. Food, cooking and sleeping-bag under that.

Waste container clipped to pig during approach/withdraw and tagged from the bottom by a 3m cord during climb (trust me this cord cannot be made long enough!). Walking poles and #4 and #5 cams also tagged from the pig during climb.

Water and Cooking

• Water 12 litres (coke bottles)
• Hanging Stove
• Small Cook Set
• Small Gas Canister
• Coffee pour-over set (cone + filters)
• Enamel cup
• Bottle Sling (thin cord)

General Gear

• Wag Bags x4 (including rationed toilet paper)
• Waste container (for sh*t)
• Hand-Sanitiser
• AAA Batteries x9
• Lighter (2 of 2)
• Headlamp (2 of 2)
• UHF Radio
• Micro-towel
• Paracetamol
• Bandaids
• Lip Balm (2 of 2)
• Sunscreen (miniature)
• Insect Repellent (miniature)
• Sunglasses (with cord)
• Garbage Bag (folded)
• Pen and Small Pad
• Hiking Poles x2
• Go-Pro + Batteries
• Climbing Shoes for P1?
• Accessory ‘biners and small cord for clipping-off various items
• Topo laminated in packing tape

Shelter and Sleeping

• Tarp
• Hammock
• Bivvy Sack
• Foam pad (simple)
• Synthetic sleeping bag
• Alloy tent pegs x2
• Extra cord (para cord)

Food

• Dehydrated Meals x4 (Dinner)
• Cliff Bars x3 (+ 2 left in car)
• Museli Bars x4
• Up and Go Liquid Breakfast x3
• Tea Bags (Chai) x4
• Coffee (Ground) ziplock bag, several tablespoons
• Dark Chocolate
• Cheese roll with beetroot vegetarian burger patty in foil, compressed to tennis-ball size x4 (Lunch)

Clothes

Synthetics and Wool only for warmth in wet conditions.

• Merino Wool Thermals (top+bottom)
• Merino Wool T-shirt
• Hooded Synthetic Fleece
• Synthetic Puffer Vest
• Synthetic Hiking Pants
• Briefs x2
• Wool socks x2
• Thinsulate Beanie
• Lightweight Rain Shell
• Rain shell over-pants
• Approach shoes (for approach and aid climbing)
• Protective Gloves

Emergency / Items on person

Emergency and primary first aid items in case of injury or entrapment and separation from the haul-bag. Carried on-person when away from belay. Redundant sources of light, fire and some water is split between Camel Back and Haul-Bag.

• Camel Back (Mountain biking style, carried on back when climbing and front during approach)
  • Emergency thermal blanket (folded)
  • Garbage Bags x2 (folded)
  • Compass
  • Sports tape
  • Super Glue
  • Whistle
  • Knife
  • Lighter (1 of 2)
  • Headlamp (1 of 2)
  • Digital Watch
  • Opiate tablets
  • Band-aids (a few)
  • Lip Balm (1 of 2)
  • Lunch, Snack, Water, Rain-shell as required

Climbing Equipment / The “Rack”

• 60m Dynamic climbing rope x2
• Rope Bags x2 (re-usable green shopping bags – perfect fit!)
• Harness
• Cams #0.1 to #2 + #4 doubles
• Cams #3, #5 single
• Medium RPs (brass micronuts, Double #3)
• Medium HBs (offset brass micronuts)
• Peenuts (offset aluminium micronuts)
• Nuts (doubles of small to medium, singles of large sizes)
• Hexes
• Black Diamond Talon Hook x1
• Black Diamond Cliff Hanger Hook Large x1
• Medium Moses Cam Hooks x2
• Narrow Moses Cam Hooks x2
• Hero Loops (several, tape with waterknot)
• Bungee cord loops (for virtual “rebelays”)
• Prusik cords x 3
• Micro-Traxion haul device x1
• Roll N Lock Haul device (for remote-end hauling) x1
• Pulley x1
• General Carabiners x30
• Locking Biners x7
• Slings x4
• Bolt Hangers x 6
• ATC Belay device
• Gri-Gri (death-modified)
• Aiders x2
• Daisy-chains x2
• Jumars x2
• Nut tool x2 (1 on harness, one in pig)
• Cordellete x1
• Large Sling x1

Base-weight as carried on approach

Approximate base-weight as carried on approach, IE. including food but only 3l of water. This totaled 34.6kg; 40% of my body-weight at the time. Over half the weigh is represented by the ropes and rack.

Check out Part 2 where I launch into the daily trip-report and don’t forget to subscribe below for more cursed ascents.