Dum's Kitchen

The Details: So named due to Dum living under this steep crag. Together with Ton Sai, this is THE place where "real" climbers go to do their climbing and posing. (Beginners mainly go to 1-2-3). This makes these crags the place to go if you're in need of a belayer and can also make for a nice social scene. On the other hand you're likely to get queues, and all sorts of hanger-on "personalities" (aka f*ckwits), from dreadlocked fire-stick twirling wankers to emaciated over-tanned dope-addled semi-permanents with every move wired but nothing rational to say. And we weren't even there in high season!

Access: At the southern end of Ton Sai beach, 5min from Raylae West, 10min from Raylae East.

A view from Fire Wall - Dum's Kitchen is at the end of the closer beach (Ton Sai beach). The full height of Ton Sai is visible on the left, with Humanality (*** 100m 6b) roughly following the left edge of the shot. Thaiwand Wall is at far right down the far end of Raylae West beach.

* Rod Yaak 15m 6b/20 (OS) Something a bit different for Raylae - smearing! Starts 1m L of PT and 10m L of LK. Nice enough moves off the sand, then a nice reachy move out bulge to break. Swing L with polished smears then another reach to jugs at anchor. Pahn Taalod 15m 6a/19 (OS) Only sees traffic because it's the easiest route on the beach - and consequently is usually swarming. It's nothing special though and the start is actually rather unpleasant, quite grunty to overcome the undercut start. It gets more interesting through the top bulge. *** Lion King 15m 6c+/23 (OS) Totally surprised myself to onsight this - my hardest onsight for about 5 years. The key holds are visible from the deck though so take time to suss it out before starting. Steep reaches on jugs to gain flake, then one tricky sidepulling move to pull up into semi-rest beside 2nd bolt. Undercling R under flake with crap feet, then one tough reach move to regain jugs over the top of the flake. Trend L out bulge above to flat L hold, then big reach up R for good flake. Move L hand up 4 inches into sneaky but bomber sidepull. Swing R hand up to crimpy intermediate, sort your feet on lip of bulge then (crux) pop R hand again full stretch to jug at anchor, with L hand still in low sidepull. . .

Lion King (*** 6c) - me starting up it. PT heads up L of the obvious black streak, while RY starts just L of that and trends L up the steep nose.

Lion King (*** 6c) - me establishing the crucial L hand sidepull below the crux. Note the high tide, with the water lapping the base of Stalagasaurus at Ton Sai in the background.

Lion King (*** 6c) - the crux pop. Note the extremely low L hand sidepull - maybe looks odd but it worked just fine for me!