The next morning it was blowing a gale, although we were pretty well protected in the cave. We realised you could easily see the cave in the daytime from the road. We packed up our gear and headed around on ledges and abseiled in two pitches down the 100' Slab. It's a fair walk along the bottom to Tal (13), our route for the day.
Chris hadn't climbed outdoors at all before, and it was my first multipitch climb, so it was an experience for both of us.
Charles led both pitches. The first was a nice section of crack climbing before an interesting traverse out to the arete and then up to a ledge. Charles took a while, not helped by the wind which kept gusting at awkward moments. I was stalled for a while on the traverse before I found a step down to better holds and a ledge. Chris did well to make it although there was plenty of grunting and groaning. Liz flew up it, and we settled in for a cosy lunch on the narrow ledge.
The second pitch was easier, with a scrubby section in between a couple of tricky moves, but mostly easy holds on a slab. Charles dismissed the third pitch and we exited up Herbaceous Gully and back along the road to the car.
Charles on the first pitch of Tal
Charles heading out to the arete on the first pitch of Tal
The view out over the Megalong Valley from the top of the first pitch
Chris in the crack on his first outdoor climb
Me on the ledge at the top of the first pitch
Chris and Liz - Liz at least looking at the camera for a change, even if she is making a silly face
The second pitch of Tal - Chris and Charles just visible at the top
Chris - having conquered his first outdoor climb
Chris and Liz on a random boulder
Sunset from Narrowneck