Kachoong!

After much preperation and nervous anticipation, we made a day out of trying what the Arapiles guidebook calls its most famous, most photographed, and most fallen off route. "Kachoong" is a sustained pitch of 21 (5.10d) which climbs to the base of an intimidating overhang, then follows a good roof flake, upside down, for about 2 meters before coming back out onto the face. What the guidebook doesn't tell you is that the heel hook necessary for pulling the lip is a sinker - deep enough to suck in an ankle and hold it there even after the climber falls. The resulting inverted whipper (fortunately into free space) and twisted tendons are colloquially refered to as "Kachoong ankle." Although our Kachoong attempt was successful and free of broken and twisted joints, Alex (on lead) had a close call that left him limping. As he reached for the key hand hold outside the roof, a bit of wetness caused him to slip and take the dreaded fall. A few seconds of "I'm not going to get Kachoong Ankle, how could anyone slip here? Oh Sh@#$t I'm falling, I'm getting Kachoong Ankle!" and he was hanging upside down below his last peice of gear. He glanced at his leg, saw bruising, and decided to finish the route before his adrenaline wore off. He climbed to safety and collapsed exhausted on the belay ledge growning in pain just as it started to rain. A bad bruise taught us a valuable lesson : never heel hook so deep that you can't pull your foot out if you fall. But great pictures nonetheless!