Echo Valley
For a friend.
Also known as Dairy Farm Quarry, this—along with Hindhede Quarry (@ the base of Bukit Timah Hill)—was where I hung out (literally, heh heh) during my JC years when I wasn't cycling
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If you stand anywhere between the bush on the left and hanging branches of the tree further in the background and yell, you will hear a strong echo issuing from the granite walls on the opposing side.
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Another view of the same side. There are a number of routes here. All of them are single pitch. Some of the routes include: Boring & Meaningless, Crisis, Jaws, Acrophobia, Desperado, and Direct (Jam Bang, Lucky Draw Dihedral). Direct is the only route I have ever soloed in this quarry. Roy Chua has some pictures of the routes.
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The climber on the left is on Boring & Meaningless, while the lady on the right is on Acrophobia.
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Some of the toys. The bike's Michelle, my touring bike.
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A field lies between the cliff walls.
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Another view of the field, this time from the base of Boring & Meaningless.
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Across the field, the cliffs are higher, and there are a couple of multiple pitch climbs. Some of the routes include, IQ 70, Nose, Razor's Edge, and Dragon Shit. Dragon Shit holds some fond memories: once, I took 2 cans of 100 Plus out of the cooler, placed it in my waist pouch, and climbed up as fast as I could; upon reaching the top, me and my belayer enjoyed a bird's eye view of the valley while savoring the beverage.
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A wider view.
My dogs love this place. They would roam for hours exploring the entire valley, chasing birds, butterflies, a pissed off squirrel or two :-)
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A view of Hindhede Quarry in the 1990s. The water level has risen 3 meters every year since. The water then was exceedingly clear, and the pit relatively deep. Armed with only Open Water Diver certifications, a buddy and I descended to 140 feet (43 m) before we bailed out.
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Hindhede Quarry today. The spot where the previous picture was taken is now deep underwater. In 2 years, the water level will reach 35 meters above sea level and overflow. Scuba diving in the quarry is now expressly forbidden and rock climbing heavily regulated. Draconian rangers ensure compliance.
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