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“Addictions can be very, very bad but addiction itself is not bad.
It’s a case of what you’re addicted to.
You better live each day like it’s your last, ‘cos one day you’re going to be right”.
Ray Charles.
Link tip a friend
- The Fortress block with the route being to the right of the shadow.
Here’s the text from the select Grampians guide by Tempest and Mentz, highly informative and a great read in its own right ……
“Passport To Insanity involves jamming downhill through a 6 m ceiling which is 60 m off the deck. No gym in the world will prepare you for that". Glenn Tempest
- Racking up at Arapiles.
Hidden deep in the most remote parts of the Victoria Range, the Fortress rises in grand isolation, forming one of the most spectacular and atmospheric locations in the Grampians. There is a lot of worthwhile climbing in the area, especially on the cliffs that are followed past the eastern camping ground.
- Big rack, long crack. Start of pitch 1.
History:
Climbers have been pottering around the area since the early 1960s that, except for a couple of worthless rambles, not much was accomplished. All this changed when the infamous Gledhill twins arrived with a few dodgy mates to snatch a bunch of new routes for their forthcoming guide.
- Shawn seconding just before the first belay and no aid gear to be seen .... yet.
The twins stumbled onto a jaw dropping crack line which was to quickly become part of Victoria's climbing folk law, the so-called "best line in Australia" fired the imagination of an entire generation and during the three years before its first ascent, was to become the scene of numerous attempts and resulting epics.
In the end it was the redoubtable Keith Lockwood and visiting interstate hotshot Joe Friend who pulled out all the stops to spend two long days free climbing and aiding their way to glory. Passport To Insanity, 20 M5, was finally in the bag.
Passport's legend continued to grow however when it was discovered that a note in a bottle had been left behind on the second belay promising $500 to the first person to free climb the roof pitch.
A new goal had been set. Craig Peacock and Kim Carrigan came and went and even a powerful team comprising Malcolm Matheson, Mark Morehead and Glenn Tempest played on the roof but were eventually sent packing.
Then in early 1986 the climbing scene was stunned by the news that Nyrie Dodd had accomplished what all the leading male climbers of the day couldn't, she had freed Passport at the then grade of 28.
A cry of anguish was heard the length and breadth of the country as grown men wept, cried foul, stamped their feet and threatened to give the game away and it was only until 10 years later Malcolm repeated Passport mainly using features in the roof instead of relying on its infamous narrow crack, to a collective sigh of male relief.
What was yesterday's lonely road will surely be tomorrow's highway.
Route description: Passport To Insanity, 3 stars, 135 m, grade 27, (grade 20 if the roof is aided).
The legendary best line in Australia offers spectacular climbing whether it tempted as a free climb or as a mixed route.
The intimidating off with start requires a number five cam or tube chock for protecting the crux but is in fact far a easier to prospect than appearances would suggest.
1. 50 m, grade 20. The obvious crack with leads to a semi-hanging belay.
2. 35 m, grade 27. Up to the roof. Take a deep breath and climb down to the (the lip is 1 m lower than the back) and then up to a welcome ledge.
- The start of pitch 3.
This was a to difficult aid pitch when originally led on hexes but now days sucks bomber number 2 and 2.5 cams.
3. 50 m, grade 18, shallow corner and flakes leads the way.....
