hi guys id like to hear opinions of the routes in the cave at strubens from guys who have actually climbed it. Guide states (unfortunately this cave is occupied at present) i.e there are squatters living in the cave and have been to my knowledge for 4/5 years.

The point im getting too is are the climbs that good that we should reclaim the cave?
If so how the hell do we go about doing that?

I was at strubens yesterday looking around that area, it is seriously littered and occupants of cave have dogs that hassle you. But the rock looks so good and the route guide sounds so good.

opinions please....

The climbs just outside of the cave to the left (facing in to the rock) are quite good, particularly compared to the standard ones at Strubens.

Is it worth starting a war about? Most probably not. Does the place absolutely stink? YES

The real point is that if we leave them alone, they tend to leave us alone. I know at one stage, when the guys who bolted this zone of Strubens did this, that they got the cops to get rid of the TROGS (Troglodytes as we like to call them) on the grounds that they were a security risk for the entire area. They were removed & then returned & actually pulled out some bolts.

Are you likely to win? It all depends on how desperate these guys are for a place to stay. Whatever you do, don't make it a climber vs TROG thing because then there will be violence - rather get it to be a Strubens valley residents vs vagrants thing. Also chat to Jan (the car guard) about it as he may have a different perspective & spends more time there than the rest of us.

As I am sure someone else will point out (where's Brainweaver when you need him) Strubens is a "B" grade crag & really only useful to beginners & those who truly are time constrained - so maybe these are not the people to end up in a fight with someone who is having his home taken away

_________________
Really, its not that bad...I think it's my shoes...