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General Climbing Discussion

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Mount Buffalo Guidebook 9-Oct-2003 At 12:52:30 PM oweng

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Dont worry, I made sure to have the belay device out, and the rack on my partners harness before he had time to know what was happening!

The route we did (Claws 21 thats name eludes me, is reasonably well protected through the crux first 20m or so, as the traverse along the top of a rising undercut overlap above a pool of water). I think the guide says it was originally done with one bolt, which is a terrifying thought, but has since been retrobolted. Cant remember much about the second pitch.

As for the slab routes to the left, they looked like unprotected Lindorf death routes! I doubt anyone would ever climb them. Grade 20-23 (if you believe Lindorf grades...)unprotected slabbing on slick polished granite. No thanks!

As an indication of how smooth the granite is polished by the water that must run over the slabs on occasion, I distinctly remember that when I looked up for something for the hands, the granite looked really dark. But when I looked down at my feet, the granite was almost perfectly white. Dunno why (lichen growing on the parts of crystal not regularly washed clean & smooth by water action?) but it was a great effect.

Ive lead a 14 corner on the left fand end of the face, that was great. Exhausting stemming up the corner for a pitch, then run-out slabbing for a pitch to the rap station.

There is a headwall/overlap thing two pitches up, that has a rap station that you can bail off, so the top couple of pitches of routes can be avoided.

The 14 & 21 looked the most do-able of the routes in my opinion. Nothing else looked too enticing.

Its well worth a look, if "Neils Boot Camp" ever leaves the top of Buffalo before darkness falls, id recommend checking it out as its only a 10 minute walk in.