A shorter version of this story was published in the January 2023 print edition of Vertical Life.
Common Climber has permission to publish this version of the story. 

Jacques Beaudoin is a French Canadian from Quebec City who moved to Australia in 2005 for the weather and settled in the Blueys in 2010 for the climbing.  He has built his climbing acumen with ascents throughout Canada, the United States, Asia and of course, Mount Arapiles. Jacques has a wanderlust to explore new terrain, in which the Blue Mountains have plenty. On one of Jacques’ regular sojourns into the gullies and glens of the area he found a striking line that captured his imagination. That line was to consume him for twenty-three months and test his resolve. He talked with me on when he and the climb first met.

There was a climbing area I wanted to check out and came across a picture with a coordinates located on the Newnes Plateau. I followed the contour up a creek with my two little girls as an exploration day outside during our Covid home schooling program. We found the usual choss but the area was pleasant, so we just kept walking. We rounded a bend, and I was confronted by an enormous roof and a wild seam.”

Jacques’ jaw dropped. From that time, he could barely focus on anything else. The line had cut into his consciousness and the only way to purge it was to send it.

He started with cleaning up a nearby roof classic, Titan (26/5.12c) and made short work of it. He then checked out the line that caught his attention - one that he named Mother Earth - and thought the nearly 60 degrees of rock shadowing the finger size crack was totally fused with ironstone, but he rappelled in anyway to scope it out. ​

​To my greatest surprise, some of the ironstone was loose and revealed just enough finger locks to make it interesting. Also, the sandstone surrounding the crack cleaned up to solid smooth rock with very little footholds.”

Jacques had seen enough to link while most others would have walked away. Listening to great climbers speak of mind-bending projects, there is often a common thread.  They see what others can’t perceive and their sustained experience working hard climbs enables them to process probable’s like a computer analyist can figure out and develop complex programs. It’s not just skill, its intuition, tempered by broad experience.   ​

Jacques Beaudoin on "Mother Earth" (31/5.13d). Photo Credit: Simon Carter (IG: @simoncarter_onsight)

Jacques began his siege and unknotting the twine of impossible. The climb starts with a grade 26+ steep crack with long reaches on finger locks, flaring hand jams, pinches, and gastons, leading to two small crimps where the crux gear can be placed. This is not restful by any means.

​The crux of Mother Earth is a seven-hand-move sequence in a wild 60-degree overhang. It starts with four consecutive finger locks combined with very intricate footwork and body positioning. This is followed by a spectacular crimp/pocket/jug sequence to an uncomfortable rest. The difficulty of this section on its own earns a grade of 31 (5.13d).

(Click on the photos above to enlarge. Photo series of ​Jacques Beaudoin on "Mother Earth" (31/5.13d). Photo Credit: Simon Carter, IG: @simoncarter_onsight)

​The middle crux segment is followed by an impossible looking bulging crack with fantastic climbing, capped by a horizontal break in a 3-metre roof followed by an easy groove exit to top out. This section is easier and would go under grade 25 (5.12b) on its own. Jacques added,

The line is undoubtedly inspiring, and the quality of the climbing is exceptional. As for most finger cracks, finger size is quite important, so the grading is sure to be subjective.”

Jacques’ first ascent of Mother Earth was not easy. Covid lockdowns, floods, and road closures were challenges, but finding belayers to assist with projecting was equally difficult. It takes a team to see a project through. Will Vidler was the first extraordinary gentlemen to accompany him, followed by Nathaniel Glavurdic (Fanny), Brendan Balderson, Pedro Vermelho, Kuva Jacobs (wifey), Gwen Lancashire, James Ridder, Neil Monteith, Paul Thompson, Ben Cadwallader (pinkpoint), Lloyd Wishart, Julie Anderson, Anton Korsun (redpoint), and at times Ben Sanford filming and Simon Carter shooting pictures. Simon Bischoff was invaluable to Jacques. Jacques’ would have walked away after his ascent on pre-placed gear (pinkpoint) in 2021 if not for the support of Simon.  

(Click on the photos above to enlarge. Photo series of ​Jacques Beaudoin on "Mother Earth" (31/5.13d). Photo Credit: Simon Carter, IG: @simoncarter_onsight)

In mid-August it all came together.  The rock was cold, but the psyche ran hot.

Chalking up he began working through the snake like moves, clipping the hard-won gear, as he slowly inched upwards. This time there was no apprehension, no difficulties - he had flow. Passing through that crux, which had required no end of hustle, he breathed heavily - but the Jacques scream (known all too well by his band of brothers) echoed through the grotto. It was a deeper howl, one that meant business. He climbed through the awkward sequences and unlocked those doors that he had been knocking on for months.  As each door opened freely, he moved on.

​On the day of the send Anton was there to belay.  Jacques had set up a camera to record and it capture the moment. Jacques' scream at the top of the cliff beyond the anchor says it all, “M-o-t-h-e-r  E-a-r-t-h-! M-o-t-h-e-r  E-a-r-t-h!”

Jacques' daughter Amelie gives him some special "grip powder" on the day of his redpoint. 

​Extreme crack lines in Australia are often overlooked for sport routes. If anything, their potential is largely untapped. What was once seen as impossible is now achievable due to advanced gear, modern techniques, and age-old skulduggery.  Climbers like Jacques provide a beacon of what can be found and achieved by the clever adaption of the above. Through his contribution of Mother Earth, he has added his name to Blue Mountains climbing pioneers. Jacques has joined their history and made it his story.
Who will write the next page?

Tales of Mother Earth

My little family is environmentally aware - we try to scrutinize everything from an environmental perspective. We always look for sustainable options. I found that a good way to reduce our rubbish bin was to say, 'Sorry Mother Earth' every time we put something in it. From this point, we never used the bin casually, it really improved our awareness and made us find solutions. The climb’s name came from this and its immediate environment."
​
-- Jacques Beaudoin

Jacques belaying his daughter Amelie, passing on the love of climbing and the earth. (The Eternity, 28/5.10a - to read more about this classic Blue Mountains line go to https://www.commonclimber.com/from-yorkshire-to-eternity.html)

(Learn more about the mega classic Blue Mountains climb The Eternity.)

​The redpoint gear for Mother Earth was five placements of cams in 24 meters (78 feet) of climbing. A group of two black Totems were placed before the crux and a group of three small Black Diamond cams (0.2, 0.3, 0.4) were placed directly after the crux. Over one hundred big whippers occurred on the black Totems. These were retired after the final redpoint.

Mother Earth is located in the Newnes State Forest which is surrounded by pristine National Parks. This area is now getting mined to death. Underground mining of coal takes away an odd two metre layer and leaves the surface to collapse, creating cracks in the ground and drying up swamps on the plateau. There are also instances of cliff lines collapsing. The drive through the plateau reveals the extent of destruction created by huge mines and mismanaged dead plantations of pine forests. The Mother Earth area feels like an oasis. Jacques hopes the name of the climb is a signpost, to raise awareness towards the conservation of what is left.