Ayres Rock (Uluru)

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Ayres Rock (Uluru)

Postby jackpot jim » Mon Aug 12, 2019 1:23 am

Visited Ayres Rock on Friday for the 1st time and was just blown away by the sight of it as i drove towards it .
It was a perfect 20c day to climb it which i intended to do
Standing at the base of the climb and looking up at it, i was very surprised by the steepness of it but seeing quite a lot of people of all ages and sizes going up and down i thought it must be comfortably doable
How wrong i was :shock:
I was totally staggered at how steep it was as i made my way up to about half way up the chained section before my fitness levels gave out and i made the agonizing decision to abandon my attempt and turned back for my own safety as well as others
My nephew who i was travelling with made it to the top and down but he is about 1/3 of my age. I asked him whether he would do it again if he had the chance and he said "No way, it just wouldn't be worth the risk"

So summing up my experience.
I was totally shocked at just how hard the climb is (Especially for older unfit people like me) and also just how incredibly dangerous it is.
Basically 1 slip anywhere from the moment you step onto the rock up until the end of the chained section would probably result in death
And then even on top 2nd half of the climb i was told there were some very risky parts.
I accept that a lack of fitness was the major contributing factor with myself not being able to make it but at the same time i am absolutely staggered and shocked that there has been only 1 reported death since 2010.
Watching from the bottom i was almost expecting to see someone slip and come tumbling down at any time
Some peole were on hands and knees crawling up and down, most were using the chain correctly whilst i was shocked to see some just walk freely up and down with no use of the chain which staggered me especially one guy who had what looked like a 3 y.o. kid hanging on for dear life with her hands around his neck being piggy backed whilst her mother was saying "Hold on tight dear" My nephew has a photo of them at the top of the chained section. Just staggering to me :shock:

So i am eager to hear what others who have done the climb think about my thoughts?
Am i being over dramatic about it? Spot on?
Having done extensive working at heights training in my workplace in recent years, climbing up there breaks every single rule in the book in regards to safety.
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Re: Ayres Rock (Uluru)

Postby Corona Man » Mon Aug 12, 2019 8:32 am

I did it probably 25 years ago. The first bit is the hardest, say the first third of it. After that it gets a lot easier. But yes I was a lot fitter then too.
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Re: Ayres Rock (Uluru)

Postby Booney » Mon Aug 12, 2019 9:13 am

jackpot jim wrote:Having done extensive working at heights training in my workplace in recent years, climbing up there breaks every single rule in the book in regards to safety.


With all due respect I'd be more worried about going against the wishes of the indigenous people of the land than I would the thoughts of any OHS&W representative.
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Ayres Rock (Uluru)

Postby Jim05 » Mon Aug 12, 2019 9:17 am

I climbed it about 30 years ago and I honestly thought people were banned from climbing it many years ago.
If I went back now, as much as I’d love to climb it I wouldn’t go against the wishes of the indigenous folk and would respect their beliefs
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Re: Ayres Rock (Uluru)

Postby am Bays » Mon Aug 12, 2019 10:15 am

I'm as conservative as they come and to some my neck can seem red. And yep as a kid growing up in the NT when it was handed back in 1985 I got caught up in the hype in that it shouldn't have been given back to the traditional owners. I didn't know better at the time.

I would no more climb the rock than barrack for Port.

Speak to the traditional owners, what the rock means to them and the role it plays in their ceremonies and dreaming, and you do the honourable thing, visit it then do the walk around it.

The rock is amazing and I want to go back to it again, especially to see the sunset/ sunrise and the dinner under the stars is supposed to be sensational too.

The closing of the climb cant come soon enough.

One of the most important things I've learnt in my life is that when I am visiting Aboriginal land I make sure I heed the words "I acknowledge the land I walk on is the land of the [..........] people I pay respect to the elders past and present"

To me that means I follow their laws and customs whilst I am on their country the same as we like to go on about when people visit our country.
Let that be a lesson to you Port, no one beats the Bays five times in a row in a GF and gets away with it!!!
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Re: Ayres Rock (Uluru)

Postby Hondo » Mon Aug 12, 2019 11:58 am

I climbed it as a teenager in the 80s and yes I remember it being a bit hairy at times and hanging on tightly to the chain. I never felt like I was in danger of slipping from memory but I remember being amazed/alarmed at people walking up and down casually and in some cases quickly away from the chain. It's very steep in places but you don't need any equipment or special shoes. Just don't look down if heights bother you.

The rock way more impressive and impactful in real life.

The view from the top is amazing however that said I am supportive of the closure of the climb.
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Re: Ayres Rock (Uluru)

Postby Dutchy » Mon Aug 12, 2019 4:40 pm

Yeah I climbed in in the 80's and do remember one sketchy bit about halfway up, I also thought it was banned years ago and surprised about the rush to climb it before October when it closes.
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Re: Ayres Rock (Uluru)

Postby Spangas » Mon Aug 12, 2019 4:53 pm

I wouldn't visit unless I could climb it.
I apologise.
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Re: Ayres Rock (Uluru)

Postby Bum Crack » Mon Aug 12, 2019 5:21 pm

Spangas wrote:I wouldn't visit unless I could climb it.

Yeah does nothing for me either. I crapped my pants climbing the great wall of china and Ayers Rock would be steeper than that so bugger that :lol:
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Re: Ayres Rock (Uluru)

Postby Booney » Mon Aug 12, 2019 5:24 pm

Bum Crack wrote:
Spangas wrote:I wouldn't visit unless I could climb it.

Yeah does nothing for me either. I crapped my pants climbing the great wall of china and Ayers Rock would be steeper than that so bugger that :lol:


We never got any China feedback, how'd you go?
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Re: Ayres Rock (Uluru)

Postby Bum Crack » Mon Aug 12, 2019 5:25 pm

Booney wrote:
Bum Crack wrote:
Spangas wrote:I wouldn't visit unless I could climb it.

Yeah does nothing for me either. I crapped my pants climbing the great wall of china and Ayers Rock would be steeper than that so bugger that :lol:


We never got any China feedback, how'd you go?

Yeah it was good but I won't be going back.
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Re: Ayres Rock (Uluru)

Postby Jim05 » Mon Aug 12, 2019 5:52 pm

Bum Crack wrote:
Spangas wrote:I wouldn't visit unless I could climb it.

Yeah does nothing for me either. I crapped my pants climbing the great wall of china and Ayers Rock would be steeper than that so bugger that :lol:

What part of the wall did you climb?
Some stretches of the wall are far steeper than Uluru.
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Re: Ayres Rock (Uluru)

Postby Bum Crack » Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:48 am

Jim05 wrote:
Bum Crack wrote:
Spangas wrote:I wouldn't visit unless I could climb it.

Yeah does nothing for me either. I crapped my pants climbing the great wall of china and Ayers Rock would be steeper than that so bugger that :lol:

What part of the wall did you climb?
Some stretches of the wall are far steeper than Uluru.

The steep part lol. No idea what part to be honest. It was bloody steep though.
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