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Mount Buffalo Guidebook


Rupert

6-Oct-2003
3:02:44 PM

The VCC has commenced development of an updated guide to Mt Buffalo in Victoria.

We would like to hear from anybody interested in assisting with research for the guide but above all we want to hear what you like and dislike about the existing guide. This includes any info you can give us about: errors, corrections, access, improvements, must do climbs, must avoid climbs, new routes... you name it!

Any input is valuable – if you know an access description is wrong let us know, if the route lengths are wrong on the third pitch of some out-of-the-way offwidth horror – we want to know.

The VCC is planning numerous trips over the next year to research this guide, but we need your help too. You as climbers can help provide the material to make the next edition even better.

Please feel free to discuss it here or if you prefer, send your input to buffaloguide@vicclimb.org.au

Cheers,
Rupert


nmonteith

6-Oct-2003
4:23:53 PM

Two words - Photo topos!!!!!!

The place is a nightmare to get around (especially the south gorge rim). Much clearer descriptions of absiel trees are needed. Also, write aid descriptions for the north wall routes. The way Ozy is written up is as a free climb. 99.9% of ascents are aided. Put some aid beta in the description and give aid grades to each pitch as well as the free grade.

Caligula ** - mega classic 18 fist crack. Nothing like it in the state IMO.

kieranl

7-Oct-2003
11:22:39 PM

I'm happy to assist, bearing in mind that I haven't climbed there for 10 years, but I will help with what I know.


Rupert

8-Oct-2003
8:59:10 PM

Thanks Neil and Kieran.

Come on - nobody got anything else to add about Buffalo? ...A favourite climb, an area you couldn't find? ...any info will help us to make the next guide a winner.

Peter

8-Oct-2003
9:09:26 PM

I havent been fortunate enough to climb there yet, but as a VCC member I would like to get up there with experienced climbers, are they doing trips by invite only, or can any member attend.

I will check out the site as well.


tmarsh

8-Oct-2003
9:30:06 PM

On 8/10/2003 Rupert wrote:
>Come on - nobody got anything else to add about Buffalo?

It's too slabby and it's made out of granite. There. I said it.

tim

kieranl

8-Oct-2003
10:28:47 PM

At least Tim is honest and he won't be competing for a camp-site at Lake Catani


oweng

9-Oct-2003
6:26:00 AM

I remember a few years ago having a hell of a time using the description in the guide to find the Buckland Slabs. Maybee it was our dodgy interpretation of the description, but a lot of angry scrub-bashing resulted!

I dont know what it would cost in terms of licensing / printing etc, but would it be possible to use an aerial photo to show accesses and landmark routes for selected areas? This would make working things out on the ground a lot easier. In Melbourne you can get high resolution aerial photos for any area off the shelf (i.e no need to charter a plane), if a similar arrangement covers all of Victoria this might be practical.

Anyway, just a thought.

For what its worth, I thought Total Recall onthe back of the Catherderal was a brilliant granite route worthy of a couple of stars, and Claws 21 at Eurobin Slabs is probably the most intereresting slab route ive done.


nmonteith

9-Oct-2003
9:25:56 AM

Wow Owen, you have actually done one of the Eurobin Falls slabs? They all sounded like death in the guide!

mikl law

9-Oct-2003
12:22:00 PM

They are fun, and a 10 m runout on what feels like a 40 degree glass smooth slab isn't "too" scary.

The guide should have photo topos, and a note that 90% of the routes are crap.
But the good routes are great, and the area is stunning.


Rupert

9-Oct-2003
12:24:26 PM

On 9/10/2003 mikl law wrote:
>The guide should have photo topos, and a note that 90% of the routes are crap.
: ) Thats definately a winner!


oweng

9-Oct-2003
12:52:30 PM

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.


Richard

9-Oct-2003
1:01:05 PM

OK, here's my two cents worth:

The Pintle route at the Horn should be written up so that the variant second pitch is described as the main route (an awesome pitch) and the original second pitch (a horror looking step into an ugly off-width sort of bottomles chimney, then a grovel over loose looking rocks) should only be mentioned as a passing reference for historical reasons (and a warning not to do it!). The squeeze at the end of the (new) second pitch is also quite narrow, this could be added to the descrption.

I think Neil said it all topos, photos, maps, access instructions...

Cheers


nmonteith

9-Oct-2003
4:29:13 PM

Also in every route description a largest cam size should be given. This is common practice in USA guidebooks where they use inches (camalot size). This is important as SO many Buffalo routes have hidden offwidth death sections.


Rupert

9-Oct-2003
8:54:12 PM

How (gramatically) is this written up Neil? - I'm curious.

kieranl

9-Oct-2003
11:32:45 PM

The climb "Arse Transplant" on the Hump was named after Chunder (Russell Chudleigh) took a great winger off "No Holds Barred" from near the end of the traverse when there was only one bolt in place. He couldn't sit down for a while.


IdratherbeclimbingM9

10-Oct-2003
7:22:16 AM

My 2c worth.

Its probably neither here nor there, but I reckon there could be something queer about the 'stated 40m' third pitch length of Ozymandias. I have run it together with the 6m pitch to Big Grassy on a 45 rope and still had enough left over to tie off to a cordelette belay.

I agree with nmonteith; include 'clean aid' grades for the North Wall (classics at least) for each pitch in route description.

Perhaps expand the grade conversions section to include a conversion of Australian Aid Grades to the modern USA Aid Grades for our International visitors benefit.

Perhaps the North Wall topo could be enlarged (as a foldout?), particularly the area below Wilkinsons Lookout right of Fuhrer... There are a heap of new routes and variations in that area that are not possible to discern in the current format.

In the general dialogue part of the guide it might also be worth naming a few routes that are ideal for aspiring aid climbers to practice clean aid climbing on eg Thanksgiving Crack and The Cream Machine (Disabled Lookout Area), as I have come across a number of people seeking this sort of info (or learning in the 'real' environment!).

A warning note about the missing rivet on pitch 7 of Holden Caulfield and the loose flake at start of P6 ? with potential FF2 back onto the belay below it, would also be good !

Another good thing would also be some more specific detail in multipitch route descriptions to indicate crux pitch and crux info, eg pitch 5 - Crux (thin gear in 1st 10m) of Lord Gumtree, for the multipitch aid climbs, or essential equipment eg Magic & Loss - cheater stick required.

If possible some more historic photos from 1st ascentionists would be great!

If possible get new route descriptions for things like 'Copperhead Road' Malcolm Matheson route between Clouded Queen & Ozzy Direct, and also Roland Eberhards A3 Sportclimb below Wilkinsons Lookout.

Thanks for making the opportunity available for input to the next guide. I shall pass your invitation on to others who frequent the area and may not use this website.


nmonteith

10-Oct-2003
9:10:26 AM

From memory they write something like this at the end of the route description.

Gear 1" - 5"

deadpoint

10-Oct-2003
3:42:10 PM

Tend to agree on The Pintle, did this in Jan, they day of the fire evacuation. The variant left of the bottomless chimney is awesome, although the flake is a bit thin at points.
The squeeze is easier if you go through 1.5 m above the ground and then move back down at then end.

What's the story with all the electrical junk spread all over the Horn, looks like some Alian space craft has crashed up there !!!!


Rupert

10-Oct-2003
4:56:15 PM

this is all great stuff guys - please keep it coming. And yes A5 spread the word by all means - this is a huge project that will require a lot of assistance.

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