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Buffalo 24/9 (no pics sorry) 25-Sep-2005 At 11:45:39 PM gordoste

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Dan and I have been hanging out for a chance to get on the rock so as soon as we saw Saturday looked OK we decided to head up to Buffalo for the day. Turns out the weather couldn't have been much better!!

After a quick stop in Myrtleford to buy lunch and grab a coffee we headed up the mountain but our plans to climb The Pintle and have a go on Peroxide Blonde had to be adjusted when we found the Horn access road was closed. So we decided to head down to the Gorge carpark and try to find Beowulf (18) and What Ethics? (15). Anyone who's climbed at Buffalo will tell you that finding climbs can be tricky but we didn't have major problems and Dan was soon preparing to lead What Ethics?. This is a nice little crack going two-thirds of the way up the middle of a low-angle slab, and just where the crack runs out there's a bolt (actually two bolts right next to each other, an old and a new one). It's only about 8 or 10m but definitely worth doing due to the quality of the crack. Myself not being well-versed in the dark art of crack climbing, found it puzzling enough to be glad not to be leading!

While we prepared for What Ethics? we had been looking at Beowulf and although it was clearly wet at the top, and looked pretty hard for 18, the line just looked too good not to set a top rope on and have a crack (groan). Anyway, after setting an anchor off the handy tree at the top, I managed to haul myself up to the bulge which is the first crux and exclaim "I think I understand what these handjam things are now" before taking a nice big swing out past the arete :) Getting back on wasn't happening and I was too pumped to try again straight away so Dan took over and managed better, getting through the pumpy layback section to the no-hands rest about halfway up. By now he could tell it was way too slimy and wet to be doable but he got some good beta and now has the climb on his Buffalo ticklist (to be done before moving to WA in November). I had another go and did a little better than my last effort, then we nicked off for lunch.

Afternoon we rapped in to and toproped Home James, which was very wet at the bottom. I always enjoy this climb and this was no exception, despite the dampness. Last time I had done the climb via an arete variant which was awkward and to the right of the obvious line. However this time I managed to pull through the crux move without much trouble. The one thing that stops me from leading this climb is the distance between the 2nd and 3rd bolts. The crux has to be protected with trad gear or you'd cop a long fall (probably to the belay ledge). Maybe after a few more trips I'll be confident enough to try it.

By the time that was done it was 3 o'clock and we couldn't think of anything to do in the time remaining so we headed home early. It was definitely a satisfying day, even though I didn't lead anything. I learnt a little bit more about how to climb cracks (I have a lot to learn!!), I spent a beautiful day looking out over the Gorge, it wasn't super-cold even when the sun was hiding, and I started to remember just how much friction you get on those slabs.

Hopefully we'll get back up there in the next couple of weeks, weather permitting ;)

(oh btw you can probably tell I don't climb very hard, but I certainly enjoy doing it!)