Photos by manacubus

Handsome Landers trying to control the barn-door swing from the crux of Snake Flake (26 or 5.12b). Taipan Wall, Grampians, Australia. © L Cujes 2006

Duncan Steel on The Forty Metre Mile on Slider Wall in the Glasshouses (Queensland, Australia). This route is a biiig linkup. It's 40m long (obviously) and has 20 clips. It's rated 28 or 5.13a. It'll bring a healthy glow to any forearm. © L Cujes 2006.

Dave (kachoong) establishing a new line ground-up at Redcliffs. Trapezius goes at 16 or 5.7. © L Skidmore 2005

You all know him. He gets the odd climb in too between posting here and photographing other climbers. Phil Box repeating his own route, Desperation Prow (21 or 10d) at Redcliffs. © L Skidmore 2005

Peta whipping up rope for the clip on the classic Howler (24 or 5.11d). The rock on this section of wall is brilliant, and the locals only wish there was more of it to go around! © L Skidmore 2005

Rob firing right on one of his V5 lines on the newly discovered Samurai boulder. © L Skidmore 2005.

Sammi delicately balances up this lovely slabby highball © L Skidmore 2005

Onlookers mill around as Peta cruises a tricky little V2 problem © L Skidmore 2005

Pommy sending the classic enduro pumper of 97% Fat-Free (25 or 5.12a/b), Bowens Creek. © L Skidmore 2005.

Matt Parker (NZ) attempting the onsight of Lloyd of the Rings (27 or 5.12d). © L Skidmore 2005.

Mark climbing Jaws (21 or 5.11a), Wave Wall. © L Skidmore 2005.

Pulling up slack to clip the final bolt on the route, Erik flash pumps off and into space. A super soft catch results in a 10m fall and Erik comes to rest about 1m off the deck. © L Skidmore 2004.

Mark onsighting Good Big Dog (24 or 11d/12a), The Freezer, Blue Mountains. © L Skidmore 2004.

"Man I thought it was bomber!" This is what can happen at Frog Buttress on the harder routes. Grant fell on Chook Fear (26 or 5.12b) and ripped a #0 HB wire, a slider nut, and this black alien before getting pulled up by a green alien. If the green pulled he would have hit the deck! Photo: L Skidmore, Canon EOS 300D, August 2004.

Grant coming unstuck from the featureless, square-cut arete of Debrilla (28 or 5.13a). Photo: L Skidmore, Canon EOS 300D. August 2004.

Grant on the featureless, square-cut arete of Debrilla (28 or 5.13a). Photo: L Skidmore, Canon EOS 300D. August 2004.

Grant working hard on the featureless, square-cut arete of Debrilla (28 or 5.13a). Photo: L Skidmore, Canon EOS 300D. August 2004.

Cameron Fairbairn and Phil Box on the first ascent of Aphelion, their brand new, four pitch classic on Mt Tibrogargan. This is the 30m long crux pitch (22 or 11a). Photo: L Skidmore, Canon EOS 300D. July 2004.

Chris slapping for the clipping hold on Awesome Wells (21 or 5.10d). The anchor consists of one chain which is a thread, and another which is extended down from a single bolt. Ahh, the character! Photo: L Skidmore, Canon EOS 300D. June 2004.

Chrisco firing off Awesome Wells (21 or 5.10d) on his first shot. Nice overhanging sandstone, always fun. Photo: L Skidmore, Canon EOS300D. June 2004.

Here's Chrisco onsighting Private Investigation (19 or 5.10b) at Eagle's Nest, Brooyar, Queensland. Photo: L Skidmore, Canon EOS 300D. May 2004.

Jaws (21 or 5.11a) is situated on Wave Wall in the Blue Mountains and has the distinction of being THE warm-up route on the wall, or THE project on the wall, depending on your ability. A great route regardless. Photo: Lee Skidmore, Canon EOS 300D.

He was just about to clip the anchors when the footholds decided to abandon ship. Chrisco is downward bound from the onsight attempt of Superplastisizer (22), Hartley Vale Road. Photo: L Skidmore Canon EOS 300D

Chrisco crimping up the final section of Superplastisizer (22 or 5.11b). For true convenience, why not belay straight out of your car? Photo: L Skidmore, Canon EOS 300D.

Johnny onsighting Jack High (19), on Hot Flyer Wall, Upper Shipley, Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia. Photo: L Skidmore, Canon EOS 300D.

A nice harsh fall for Will. Photo: L Skidmore, Canon EOS 300D

Aaron attempts the very hard and sustained Future Tense (26 or 5.12b), at Frog Buttress in Australia. Photo: L Skidmore, 35mm slide.

New Paths (24 or 5.11d) is 30m long and blasts its way up the guts of this massive dome. The climbing is on bolts and gear, and the angle is steep and uncompromising. Possibly the best route at Girraween? Photo: L Skidmore, 35mm slide.

Here's young tuffdy Aaron Jones cranking it on that lovely "outdoor gym" of a crag, The Gallery in the Grampians. Photo: L Skidmore Sony digital.

Chrisco on the crux of the intermediate classic, Halva (16 or 5.7) at Kangaroo Point in Brisbane city. Large lights installed along the cliff base allow night climbing. Photo: Lee Skidmore, Canon EOS300D Digital SLR.

Marty jugging out of the Underworld. Photo: L Skidmore, Nikon 5000.

With a jungle green background, Erik onsights Pahn Taalod (6a), Dum's Kitchen. Photo: L Skidmore, Fuji digital.

A lone climber descends from Thaiwand Wall in Thailand, while the dripping stalactites loom overhead. Photo: L Skidmore, Fuji FinePix 3800, Nov 2003.

Black Op's (24 or 5.11d) is a new sport route located on this cool section of Mt Tibrogargan, Queensland, Australia. The wall is located 90m off the deck and you must either climb old-school trad to get there, or do a big walk, and rap in. Here, Phil is attempting the third ascent. Photo: L Skidmore, Nikon digital.

Those damn pants! It's actually lightly raining here as Mark leads up one of the rare face routes at Frog, Down With His Pants (24 or 5.11d). Photo: L Skidmore, Sony digital.

Lee modelling the new qurank shirt on Child In Time (22 or 5.11a) at Frog Buttress in Australia. Superb - symetrical - sustained! Prepare for a huge pump! Photo: M Spicer, Sony digital.

Lee onsighting the thin and bouldery start to the superb Child In Time (22 or 5.11a) at Australia's premiere crack cliff - Frog Buttress. Photo: M Spicer, Sony digital. If you're in Oz and want the same shirt, go here.

What a fantastic place to climb! While seals and dolphins cruise below, Sammi edges up the final slab on her ascent of Hello Dolly, Bayside Upper, Point Perpendicular. Photo: Lee Skidmore, Sony Mavica FD-88.

Sammi cranking hard above the waves on the onsight of Hello Dolly, Bayside Upper, Point Perpendicular. Photo: Lee Skidmore Sony Mavica FD-88.

Matt Wrigley on his "Pretty Hate Machine". It's a V14 which consists of over 30 moves on a horizontal roof, and then tops out of Hollow Mountain Cave in the Grampians, Australia. And yes, it's harder than Klem Loskot's famous V14 "Cave Rave" which lives in the same cave. Photo: L Skidmore, Sony Digital.

Profile shot of manacubus, scoping the next problem in Fontainbleau, France. © N Monteith (orangeoverhang) 2004

In the pouring rain, Sammi seconds the lovely "XI" (18 or 5.9) on Fang Buttress at Arapiles. Photo: L Skidmore, Sony Mavica FD-88.

Craigu showing that climbing is all around us. Location: Brisbane, Australia. Photo: L Skidmore, Sony Mavica FD-88.

Lee on the crux of the first ascent of Nasty But Nourishing (21 or 5.10c). It's a sport route except for the fact that one of the pockets requires a #5 camalot. Needless to say most people try to run it out! Photo: Steve Baskerville, Fuji Sensia 200 35mm slide.

Erik is focussed while seconding the classic Jezebel (16 or 5.7) on one of Mt Maroon's lower walls. Photo: L Skidmore, Sony Mavica FD-88.

Here, Lee milks a balancy rest and prepares to crank through the crux on the onsight of Overkill (17, or 5.8). Photo: M Spicer, Sony Mavica FD-88.

Aaron attempts the very hard and sustained Future Tense (26 or 5.12b), at Frog Buttress in Australia. Fiddling in natural protection on such a steep, imposing route is a task in itself. Photo: manacubus. 35mm slide.

Lee tries to burst every blood vessel in his eyes while doing the first ascent of Fame (22 or 5.10d) on Mt Stuart's Playground. Photo: Steve Baskerville, 35mm slide.

With bugger-all holds for the length of the route, the three-star arete of Alex In Wonderland (23 or 5.11c) really could be described as a "knifeblade". In fact, earlier in the day, I used it to cut up an orange. Climber: Aaron Jones. Photo: Lee Skidmore, 35mm Fuji Sensia 200 slide.

Not really, but hey, whacha gonna do? Here Sammi is fishing a wire into a poor slot at the top of her new route, Jungle Gym (14 or 5.6) on Jungle Wall, Burleigh Heads National Park, Queensland, Australia. Photo: Lee Skidmore, Sony Mavica FD-88 on a macro setting.