Mount Buffalo Days 2 And 3

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Mount Buffalo

The Cathedral.

Though the routes we’ve been climbing were not that hard or that long, the baking conditions really did a number on my feet. They were positively cooking inside the black, sticky rubber toe-boxed shoes. I developed some painful blisters. Consequently, the final two days of the trip were spent on even shorter routes. On day two, we drove to near the high point of the park and climbed the four short pitches (done in two) of Maharaja route – an aesthetic and clean 17 on the majestic looking Cathedral formation; like a miniature Rockfellows in Arizona’s Cochise. This was followed by extensive bourbon and pool time therapy. The following day, we came back and climbed the harder and prouder looking Sultan route on the same formation – a 4 pitch, 20 and, unlike its neighbor, covered in lichen. Doesn’t get the traffic of its neighbor. Bring large gear for this one and expect some blue collar work. The following morning, we drove to Melbourne with just enough time for a quick brunch. If you can judge a city by a single brunch (I can), Melbourne seems like a larger version of Portland and so the brunch was very good. So ended our nearly 5000 kilometer road trip through southeastern corner of Australia. We flew to Jakarta (nearly 7 hours away) and then onward to Yogyakarta (an hour away) for some family time and lots of good food.

Photos

Mount Buffalo

Racking up at The Cathedral trailhead (Dec. 2019).

Mount Buffalo

Shirley admiring The Cathedral formation (Dec. 2019).

Mount Buffalo

Mount Buffalo National Park (Dec. 2019).

Mount Buffalo

The Cathedral. Sultan route (20, 4 pitches) climbs the obvious dihedral on the right, followed by a rightward traverse to the obvious flake on the right face. Maharajah climbs to the summit on the opposite face (Dec. 2019).

Maharajah

Leading pitch 1 and 2 of Maharajah (Dec. 2019).

Maharajah

Shirley on pitch 1 of Maharajah (Dec. 2019).

Maharajah

Shirley on pitch 2 (Dec. 2019).

Maharajah

More pitch 2 action (Dec. 2019).

Maharajah

Views from Maharajah (Dec. 2019).

Maharajah

Shirley arriving on the summit of The Cathedral (Dec. 2019).

Maharajah

Summit bourbon (Dec. 2019).

Maharajah

Rapping off. I’m wearing shorts, I swear (Dec. 2019).

Maharajah

Shirley rapping into the notch (Dec. 2019).

Maharajah

Oddly pitted granite (Dec. 2019).

Mount Buffalo

After the climb, we did a bit of sightseeing in the park (Dec. 2019).

Mount Buffalo

The Australian Alps (Dec. 2019).

Mount Buffalo

Mount Buffalo National Park (Dec. 2019).

Mount Buffalo

Dingo Dell (Dec. 2019).

Myrtleford

At the cabin (Dec. 2019).

Myrtleford

Quite showy (Dec. 2019).

Mount Buffalo

Back to The Cathedral the following day (Dec. 2019).

Mount Buffalo

Shirley on the approach (Dec. 2019).

Sultan

Starting the lead of Sultan (Dec. 2019).

Sultan

Wide and not getting much traffic; the face on the left was quite licheny (Dec. 2019).

Sultan

Shirley nearing the top of pitch 1 (Dec. 2019).

Sultan

Starting the lead of pitch 2 of Sultan (Dec. 2019).

Sultan

About to swing out onto the face traverse – more awkward than it looked from below (Dec. 2019).

Sultan

Shirley starting the traverse on pitch 2 of Sultan (Dec. 2019).

Sultan

Views from pitch 2 of Sultan (Dec. 2019).

Sultan

Shirley making progress on the traverse (Dec. 2019).

Sultan

Shirley on the very nice pitch 3 of Sultan (Dec. 2019).

Sultan

Topping out on pitch 3 (Dec. 2019).

Sultan

Leading the short and easy last mini-pitch of Sultan (which is shared with Maharajah which we did the day prior; Dec. 2019).

Sultan

Shirley belaying me on the last pitch (Dec. 2019).

Sultan

Cathedral summit selfie (Dec. 2019).

Sultan

Shirley on the summit. It was windy and almost chilly (in shorts) that day (Dec. 2019).

Sultan

Hiking out (Dec. 2019).

Sultan

One last look (Dec. 2019).

Sultan

Quite proud if small (Dec. 2019).

Bright

OK, time for celebratory beers. Read somewhere that the town of Bright, Vic. had some well reputed microbreweries (Dec. 2019).

Bright

They were good (Dec. 2019).

Myrtleford

Man, the pool was funner than being eaten by flies (Dec. 2019).

Melbourne

In search of some iconic Melbourne sights the next day (Dec. 2019).

Melbourne

Found them!

Melbourne

Melbourne randomness on the drive to the airport (Dec. 2019).

Melbourne

More Melbourne from the car (Dec. 2019).

Melbourne

Leaving for eating…I mean for Jakarta (Dec. 2019).

Australia

The red interior of the continent (Dec. 2019).

Australia

On the way to Jakarta (Dec. 2019).

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