The Organ Pipes of kunanyi/Mt Wellington boasts a rich climbing history dating back to the 1930s, with bold accents on primitive gear on uncompromising, sustained natural lines to modern, bolt-equipped routes that tackle its wildly exposed aretes and faces. While both styles can contrast very heavily, no matter which era the route is from, they carry a heavy sense of adventure. In this series of images, Hobart local and photographer, Michael Blowers, explores routes from different eras of development on The Organ Pipes.
Pegasus Direct (14)
The first ascent took place in 1965 by Tom Terry and Alan Cross when route development started to ramp up on the Organ Pipes after the formation of the Climbers Club of Tasmania. The route follows a chimney, which deposits you on top of the large, detached flake with a heady feeling of exposure as you stare at your last piece of protection, a slung chockstone far below, and contemplate the wide crack above. You can’t help but appreciate how it was done on the original nuts and pitons and the intense adventure it would have been at the time. Here, Will Kelly takes in his unlikely position atop the detached flake.
Raspberry Jam and Crackers (18)
The route, established in 1972 by G. Body, Bryan Kennedy and Lyle Closs, is a delicate dance up the technical face on sparse yet good enough gear to keep things in the realm of sanity. In this image, Scott Roberts opts for a modern, tiny Alien cam over the original piton that protects the thin start of the climb.
Holiday in Cambodia (21)
The route was first ascended by Phil Bigg and Simon Parsons in 1982, a time when the two, along with Doug Fife, established many classics after being inspired by a newly published guidebook. They began tackling harder cracks but also venturing out to the aretes and faces of the columns. In this image, Ewan Barry is puzzling out the route ahead and the dwindling options on his rack after the long and strenuous corner leading into incredible hand jamming.
Neon God (25)
This route was established by Sam Edwards in 1997 during a new wave of fully bolted climbs tackling the striking lines on the more difficult faces on the Pipes. Here, we see Gareth Lee pulling through perfectly sculpted crimps in the lower half of the climb. With a focus on fluid yet varied movement and a soaring 50m pitch length, it’s become a modern classic.
Slap Dancer (27)
Another Sam Edwards route from 1997, the unlikely freestanding pillar, uncompromisingly modern in style, has become a unique and widely known classic. The route involves brutal yet technical compression climbing between the two aretes of the pillar. Standing atop the pillar you’re gifted an incredible view, with the Amphitheatre on one side and uninterrupted views of Hobart and the ocean on the other. In true Organ Pipes style, despite the fact you’ve just climbed a 10m sports route, you can’t help but be blown away by the crazy position you’re in. Scott Roberts took this shot of me pulling the final difficult moves before topping out the pillar.
Remembrance (21)
The incredible two-pitch route was established by Dave Humphries and Jon Nermut in 2012 in a wave of new moderate, multi-pitch climbs bolted in the modern style that had, at this point, become prevalent on the mountain. The route follows a soaring arete, involving delicate and exciting moves over attention-demanding exposure. In this image, Tink Olynick delicately moves through the tricky moves of the second pitch.
This story originally featured in Vertical Life # 49. Grab your copy here
