Climb Singapore

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t h e c l imbe r ’s handbook

climbsingapore

climb.singapore --- the climber’s handbook

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Anchor Point

Anchor with Abseil Point

Abseil Point Only

Bolted Route

Requires Natural Protection

Risky Climb

Recommended Climb

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about this bookIn the past decade, rock climbing has been swept away from the vaults of

alternative thrill seekers into the hands of the masses. Sport climbing,

in particular, has witnessed the greatest development and social acceptance,

significantly more than any other extreme sporting discipline.

In 1992, the first National Championship attracted just a handful of participants.

Fast-forward to 2010, and events like Climb On! Singapore easily demonstrates

the growing popularity of the sport. The event attracted nearly 1000 participants

from the region, making it probably the biggest climbing event in Asia. Schools,

clubs and even religious institutions have since been caught in a rush to

develop their own programmes and build their own climbing walls, especially

after the introduction of the National Schools Sport Climbing Championships

in 2008.

Climb Singapore was first published in 2002, specifically to address

documentation that has been sorely lacking. It is the first and only publication

to document the history, access information and grades of climbing routes

in Singapore. In addition, it also serves as easy reference material for Sport

Climbing courses. This second edition contains updated route information

and address changes to the Singapore National Climbing Standards (SNCS)

programme that was made in 2010.

This second edition of Climb Singapore comprises three parts: The first covers

the history of rock climbing in Singapore. The second part covers the SNCS

syllabus and technical tips on climbing safety. The final section of the book

serves as a climbing guidebook with access information and grades for the

climbs in Dairy Farm Quarry and Sing Seng Quarry.

This book attempts to fill an information vacuum. However, it is by no means

an exhaustive account of rock climbing in Singapore. We’ve tried to capture

the essence of the sport as we know it. Please contact the Climb Asia editorial

team if you feel that the historical accounts or route information have been

misrepresented.

Cheers,

Climb Asia

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about this book


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climbing standards


Introduction to SNCSThe sport of climbing started in Singapore around mid to late 1980s with self-taught climbers exploring the cliffs of Dairy Farm Quarry. In 1989, the first permanent artificial climbing wall was built in SAFRA Tampines, followed by the introduction of the national climbing competition series, which is now a significant national climbing event in our annual climbing calendar.

This sport is now growing rapidly in Singapore, with increasingly more people

taking up climbing and many climbing walls being installed in schools and premises

of uniform organisations. However, for the past decade, due to the fact that the sport

was relatively young both nationally and internationally, we did not have any national

climbing standards or guidelines in place to help steer the sport.

For the sport to develop and progress with safety and performance standards

maintained at the highest possible level, the Singapore Mountaineering Federation

initiated Project TOP OUT in 1996 to set national standards and guidelines for the

sport of climbing. Project TOP OUT committee drew upon the efforts (or creativity,

if that is what brain juice refers to) and experience of both SMF officials and

experienced climbing instructors: Alvin Yong (Chairman), Anthony Seah, Mohd Amir

Moostafa and Lim Kim Boon. The SMF also engaged the professional service of

Ms Anne Palmer, a NZ UIAGM mountain guide/climbing instructor/assessor as its

Specialist Technical Consultant.

singapore national

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Chew Wei Chieh

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singapore national

climbing standards

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climbing insingapore


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The island of Singapore is an urban jungle and rock scarce. That’s why climbers in Singapore spend more than 90% of their time climbing or bouldering at artificial climbing walls. Nevertheless, there are a few “natural” climbing areas in the hills bordering Bukit Timah Nature Reserve which offer climbers in Singapore the real-rock experience, although at a small scale. Among them, Dairy Farm and Hindhede, are abandoned granite quarries which climbers discovered in the 1980s.

Dairy Farm Quarry is the most popular of these natural climbing areas and you

could probably bump into a good portion of the Singaporean climbing

community there on an average weekend. Hindhede Quarry used to be an

established climbing area, but has been declared off limits to the public since

1997. Hindhede has not been frequented by climbers for years due to the rising

water level in the quarry, which saw to the end of the majority of climbing routes

at the base area. We hope that our documentation of the climbing routes and

history will bring about its reopening as a natural climbing venue.

DairyÊFarmÊQuarryHindhedeÊQuarrySingÊSengÊQuarry

BukitÊTimahÊRoad

BukitÊTimahÊExpresswayÊ(BKE)

PanÊIslandÊExpresswayÊ(PIE)

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climbing in

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dairy farm:

american pie

4b

6c+

7a+

5c

7a

7b

Towards ABCD

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1. Art of Noise (5.6/4b)-- 20m -- Natural Protecton -- F.A. David Lim, Tang Wing Fatt, 1992

The route veers towards ABCD section after Turtle and goes up

to the top of the crag.

2. The Little Mermaid (5.11c/6c+)-- 20m -- 8 bolts -- F.A. Mohd Halil, 1998

Created by Mohd Halil, Shannon Tham, 1998

3. Rain Maker (5.12a/7a+)-- 20m -- 7 bolts -- F.A. Christian Venetz, 1998

Created by Christian Venetz, Mohd Halil, 1998

4. American Pie (5.10a/5c)-- 20m -- 5 bolts -- Created & F.A. Peter Terbush, Scottie Nelson

Another harder variant (6b+), is to climb on the face and avoid the corner on the right.

5. French Controversy (5.11d/7a)-- 6m -- 2 bolts

Created by Alain Silver

6. Super Crack (5.12b/7b)-- 20m -- Natural Protection -- F.A. Christian Venetz, 1998

dairy farm: american pie section

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climbing in

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Rock climbing has been swept away from the vaults of

the alternative thrill seekers into the hands of the masses.

The first edition of this book aimed to document critical

information and history that was in danger of being

lost forever.

This second edition has been updated with the recent

improvements to the Singapore National Climbing Standards

syllabus and curriculum. Inside, you will find course

materials for the Sport Climbing Level 1 and Level 2 courses

as well as tips and information that would be crucial for

you to have a safe day climbing. Also included is route

and access info to all the established climbs in Dairy Farm

quarry as well as Singseng quarry in Rifle Range Road.

All the climbing information you could possibly ever need in Singapore,

contained in one handy little guidebook. This book is indispensable to any

who takes up this sport! - Kris Sama

edition 2written and produced by:

ISBN 978-981-08-7088-1

Documents

Climb Singapore