Can I first ascent an untouched boulder in 75 minutes?

Sometimes you just need to get out there and have a crack. I saw this boulder a few weeks earlier and thought 'yeah, that's probably worth a few hours to see if it goes.' Psyched to have got out and had a crack. It always brings a smile to my face :).
I'll have to get back there with some more time and see if it can happen.
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[@loiduongjr]

I just want to say that out of all the climbing content on youtube, yours is the one that brings me the most joy and i really do hope that I can be like you one day. To climb and be a good dad seems like a really good life.

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Ahh mate, that's super kind of you to say. Thank you. Fatherhood is easily the most rewarding experience of my life. Tough sometimes, but incredible. Enjoy the ride through climbing and life :)

[@senorblondie]

2:49 😳😬🤣 nice work, it'll go. 👊🏼 PS- I appreciate the fact that I can watch your channel with my little kids and not be worried about expletives flying out like most climbers channels. It's refreshing. 👊🏼

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Gotta give the kids something to froth about. Cool to hear you're sharing it with them :)

[@brandonhoang]

Love the videos where your trying to send on a time limit. It brings out a really funny chaotic energy haha. I've been feeling really depressed since I haven't been able to climb for a while due to wrist injuries but your videos always perk me up. Keep it up 🤙.

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Haha I love watching them back, but actually rather stressful when its all happening haha. But that's what makes it fun :). Hope the wrist recovers nice and quick for you. The recovery process is tough, but stick with it. Plenty of fun climbing ahead for you :)

[@MrWhatev4r]

The editing is so well done haha this was very entertaining to watch!!

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Haha thank you. I had fun putting it together :). Psyched you liked it

[@cbouvier]

Loved all your videos man! 😍 Thanks for sharing!

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Ahh thanks mate. I appreciate that. It’s fun making them. Especially these silly ones 😀

[@ilian7646]

would love to see you get back there and do the climb !

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Haha me too! Will do my best to make it happen 😀

[@eynash]

These bouldering videos are really fun to watch, thanks Tom!

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Haha thank you. Glad you liked the silliness :)

[@henibo3507]

Loved this

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Haha thanks. A bit random and very fun 😀

[@tobybutler9353]

Great video, I reckon you could make the next big reality TV show; make 3 developers find and climb a new boulder within 2hrs. Like The Apprentice but actually interesting.

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Haha sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. I like it 😂👍

[@Corey_Batten]

Great stuff 😂 I know exactly how it feels to be on the dad clock

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Haha ‘just one more climb. Oh no! The kid!’

[@schonni8390]

Awesome video and idea!! Also, I was laughing so hard when the pads were rolling down the hill lol

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Haha it was such a gutting, yet funny thing. You never know when those things are going to stop. Luckily the fallen tree was there or it could’ve ended up in a farmers paddock 😂

[@karlderdelinckx]

Nice! We don’t often get to see the cleaning part. That’s fun.

[@TomOHalloranAus]

The cleaning part can be fun and dirty and tiring and annoying and fulfilling 😀. Glad you liked it 😀

[@asclarke295]

Awesome video dude, more of these please

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Always fun splashing these videos into the mix. Just a regular silly day :)

[@simonwilliams9850]

Love it. I'll always be a lunatic in the bush first, climber second

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Haha exactly!

[@chri_me]

Such a cool video! And awesome climb, can't believe it hasn't been brushed yet! But looks well hard

[@TomOHalloranAus]

It's a cool little boulder for sure. Be fun to jump back on and see just how hard :)

[@shaneportch4643]

Love this vid idea please make more

[@TomOHalloranAus]

haha thanks. I like sharing the silly little days that can sometimes happen :)

[@joolsgrommers1466]

Came for the psyche! Glad to see there wasn't lots of destruction to open this line. I wonder sometimes whether the damage is worth the climb (when I've seen new development here in the UK for example). It can be pretty brutal.

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Yeah sometimes things can get pretty heavy handed. I’m not a fan of the heavy destruction, yet want to climb places where it may have happened. Whether that’s initial set up or a byproduct of time. It’s a tough one

[@cragbum87]

Hey Tom. I've been watching a bunch of your videos marathon style. The bolting ones have got me super excited about doing that soon. I have some friends and mentors that can show me locally but I don't think any of them use your concrete bolt setup for bottom up bolting. Would you be able to do a video on how you fill those holes? I know Hownot2 or Bobby Hutton has one but I'd like to see your method as well if you're game to do a video on that. Great work on all the videos man! Lots of love coming from Canada.

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Filling them is pretty easy afterwards. I'll usually just add a little dab of glue across the hole. Suddenly is disappeared. Super hard to spot unless you really know what to look for. Sometimes a little dusting of similar coloured crag dust can be great to cover if the glue and rock colour are too dissimilar. Psyched to hear you're enjoying the videos and keen to get out bolting. Great to get that advice from friends and teach you how to avoid the big mistakes

[@bigdog5112]

Awesome vid. I’ve always wondered how ppl set up rope rigs to specifically for bouldering and trying moves.

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Psyched you liked it. Bit of a silly one, but it was fun :). The set up is just a normal top anchor/abseil type system, then just work on a grigri or similar device.

[@hughoreillyy]

Would love to see a guide for how to clean boulders that are untouched, any tips etc you've learned over the years!

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Start at the top, wear gloves and glasses. A stiff bristle brush to get stubborn lichen etc off. A big brush (about the size of your phone) for scrubbing holds. Like what you’d use for scrubbing holds at the gym. Then the normal smaller brush. The. Just start cleaning. Honestly the best way to learn is getting out there and getting your feet wet. Even stuff that isn’t awesome, but still climbable, is a good experience to just clean and climb. Enjoy. It’s a fun time 😀

[@dorthrithil]

​@@TomOHalloranAus And one rule of thumb: the softer the rock, the softer your brushes should be. E.g. steel brushes are fine for cleaning the local basalt rock where I live, but you shouldn't clean sandstone with them if you don't want to be called a chipper. :P

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Yes, a hard steel brush will do damage pretty quick if you don’t know what you’re doing on soft rock

[@hughoreillyy]

thanks for this mate! Cleaned a shitty boulder last week and had some fun climbing it. Do you just rappel with a grigri for taller ones like this?

[@colep9247]

That arete looks cool! Have you scoped out any potential climbs to the right on this same boulder? Any potential for lines out that mini roof?

[@TomOHalloranAus]

There's not a ton either side of this. The rock quality isn't great and there's some blank sections. This is about it for that boulder.

[@drtimoneill]

It's probably just a V5 if you didnt build that landing first :) You have to call it 75 minute TKO when you do it ...

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Haha it could be. I was pretty pooped from dragging everything. Yes will have to reference this for sure!

[@SpartaSpartan117]

An Olympic level of Tomfoolery this one is

[@TomOHalloranAus]

total mefoolery :)

[@snador]

Did you end up climbing it? Look kinda cool!

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Nah haven’t been back. Another one for the ever expanding list

[@longb1913]

wheres the moonboard video

[@TomOHalloranAus]

There’s a few there in my back catalogue. You’ll have to use patience if your after the next benchmark video. The keeper of the keys for the moon shed is currently overseas

[@MonkeyBarsEveryday]

hey, id love to brush and prep a boulder like this but I have no idea how to set up the rope. I know how to tie in to my harness.... what other gear do I need and what should I search for setting up the anchor?

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Each situation is different, so you'll need to really assess it all yourself. This answer is not a how to, just a general overview. But all you're doing is abseiling. Tie an anchor knot (bowline or figure 8) to a bomber anchor point. A thick tree aprprox 300mm circumference or more that's firmly rooted is a good option. Tying off to two is even better/necessary. There's plenty of good anchor videos out there. Then lower yourself down on an auto lock device and start scrubbing. There are a few bits in between all this to be aware of, but globally, that's it. Practicing this stuff in a tree in the backyard or stairs etc is a great, safer way to start. And don't forget to add rope protection to where the rope runs over the edge (or any other places it could touch the rock and cut/abrade). Enjoy, take care and be safe :)

[@MonkeyBarsEveryday]

@@TomOHalloranAusthanks! Appreciate the starting point

[@TomOHalloranAus]

@@MonkeyBarsEveryday have fun :)

[@MythAvatar]

Can you do it? Yes! - I mean, no. Oh well, videos of the following sessions :)

[@TomOHalloranAus]

I pretty sure it's possible. Just need some more time next time haha

[@mongoose1804]

nice feet tom 😀

[@TomOHalloranAus]

haha thanks :)

[@lukasvilim8499]

I know the feeling of not having enough time while brushing rock! 🧹🪨 The good thing is that it's most probably going to wait for your next time window right where you left it.

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Haha yeah it can feel like there's never enough time. Keen to get back and have a play to see if it will actually go?

[@darrenmarney8577]

You will have to invest in a Soloist Tom 👌 More advantages than the GriGri for investigation & play time 😃 Additional bonus is leading solo 👌

[@TomOHalloranAus]

Yeah I’m keen to get a good set up for rope solo. Haven’t looked into too much yet, but the soloist sounds nice