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Mt Buller Ice(less?) climbing |
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23-Jul-2007 9:43:20 PM
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Hi John, Neil and others. Sorry to crash in on your discussion but I was wondering if anyone has found a tent at the bottom of what I think would be the waterfall area in the last few weeks? At the end of June a mate and I walked up from the pay gate and over the top down the West ridge but not before allowing our tent to decend what could be known as the North West face. I went down the face until I came to the top of a small cliff (possibly the place where the photos Neil posted below were taken). The face narrowed into a chute that seemed to contunie to the bottom without any obvious obstructions. The only marks in the snow were the tell tale patches made by a bouncing bundle of nylon. I cannot give any details as to how the tent began its journey other than my mate saying it wasn't me! As that night was rather chilly and a replacement of the tent a difficuilt proposition (my wife doesn't worry about replacing worn out gear but she does have an issue with stupidity) I would like to if possible regain my beloved tent. Yours in anticipation. Graeme
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23-Jul-2007 10:48:28 PM
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Sorry Greame, even though I actually downclimbed 1/3 of the way down that gully below the waterfall on the day I could not see anything. I would say there has been close to 1 meter of snow since the end of June in that area, so you could always go back in spring (if it makes you feel better I droped a glove down the same gully about 4 years back - I can just see the bottom of that gully now....tents, gloves, shoes, etc etc)
Great shots Neil, looks like you guys had fun the rest of the weekend!
p.s. For those interested Blue Lake is next on the list. Taking Thur 9th and Fri 10th of August off work and leaving very early on Thursday morning coming back Sunday nite. Happy to meet others there and make it a Chockstone gathering. If the weather forecast is bad, will postpone to the following week.
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26-Jul-2007 9:24:36 PM
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Thanks for the reply John. I'm there in spring. Until then....... snow caves R us!
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27-Jul-2007 5:58:13 AM
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Just wondering if there are any routes which are more coulior type to climb here.
Thanks
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27-Jul-2007 8:23:17 AM
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Thread hijack again.
Macciza wrote
>Just wondering if theres been any snow at Bufallo? Anyone know?
Buffalo got 23 mm of RAIN last night. This on top of the warmish weather all last week that knocked the last decent dump of snow around severely.
When are you going?
If next week then my guess is that it will be cold and wet due two day cycles of half active fronts pushing through.
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27-Jul-2007 8:26:48 AM
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On 27/07/2007 mikef wrote:
>Just wondering if there are any routes which are more coulior type to climb
yes, but people ski down them also. there's a guide in the VCC Eastern Vic guide, & on this site also I think).
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4-Aug-2007 10:16:42 AM
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Some more shots of buller from 2 weeks ago here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnkazanas/sets/72157601185052944/
and bogong last weekend:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnkazanas/sets/72157601184907136/
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4-Aug-2007 5:06:07 PM
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On 4/08/2007 JohnK wrote:
>http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnkazanas/sets/72157601185052944/
Ur tope-roping ??? PFFT !!!!!
Even shielas can lead ice !!!!
http://www.gdargaud.net/Climbing/Briancon/CerviereJennyLead3.jpg
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4-Aug-2007 5:43:20 PM
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On 4/08/2007 M10iswhereitsat. wrote:
>On 4/08/2007 JohnK wrote:
>
>>http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnkazanas/sets/72157601185052944/
>
>Ur tope-roping ??? PFFT !!!!!
>
>Even shielas can lead ice !!!!
>
>http://www.gdargaud.net/Climbing/Briancon/CerviereJennyLead3.jpg
Obviously you have never been ice(less) climbing in Mt Buller old man M10.
We tend to hang for dear life on thin rime ice that peels off from slabs most of the time, solo most of it as there is no pro and yet we persevere and survive to post our photos.
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5-Aug-2007 10:32:38 PM
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whateva ...
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6-Aug-2007 5:33:38 PM
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There is actually a bit of shonk gear here and there if you take some pins and a few nuts and cams plus there's the weird inappropriate bolts with chains hanging off them if you can ever find them. All the routes in the guide as well as the routes put up by the bogong crew from 2005 are definitely leadable.
(Some examples of lead climbing at Buller... don't be afraid to man up lads :)
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6-Aug-2007 5:56:39 PM
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I've led everything BUT the main waterfall at Buller. I gave it a good go back in '03 but the ice is pretty
thin and tends to fall off in large chunks. There is zero chance of getting any good gear, even screws, as
its only a couple of inches thick. The topout is actually the worst bit, its unconsolidated snow lightly
sprinkled onto slabby loose rock and grass. You dig around hoping for something to stick under the
snow.
All of the bolted routes have been soloed.
Photos from '03 Season
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6-Aug-2007 8:23:28 PM
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On 6/08/2007 nmonteith wrote:
>I've led everything BUT the main waterfall at Buller.
Including the two routes I did in the next gully left of waterfall gully facing uphill? (ps not trying to come across as a self righteous wanker, just interested... you know how it's really hard to convey tone on the internet?)
I led the main waterfall in thin conditions in '05 and you're right about the gear being shit/non-existent, but most of the other routes are better in that respect.
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7-Aug-2007 10:56:04 AM
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On 6/08/2007 uwhp510 wrote:
>Including the two routes I did in the next gully left of waterfall gully
>facing uphill?
nope - i don't think i've even been there!
>I led the main waterfall in thin conditions in '05 and you're right about
>the gear being shit/non-existent, but most of the other routes are better
>in that respect.
Yere - ive bashed in pins, placed some dodgy cams, stakes and screws. None of it was very
wothwhile though. Better to have the attitude that you are soloing! I found much better trad gear at
Bogong.
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10-Aug-2007 4:22:52 PM
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The second photo from my other post (the one with not much ice) is a route I did in 2005, two 45m pitches, the second being the harder/steeper of the two. The second pitch was definitely harder than any of the previously established mixed routes up there. We also did a route further left which was also two longish pitches which I would say is probably a little bit harder again. Both of these would be around Scottish IV or V depending on the conditions apparently (not that I have much experience of the scottish system).
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