Go back to South And Western Australia Trip.
Go back to Moonarie Day One.
Flying Buttress.
A repeat of the previous day’s sequence and an equally casual start from the trailhead (8ish). Unlike our two previous Australian excursions, this one took place relatively early in their summer (mid to end of November) and so the temperatures were pretty comfortable and downright “fresh” later on in coastal WA. By our second day, the jet lag fatigue was also beginning to clear and so we shaved off some time from the approach; or maybe it was the absence of backpacks.
We climbed the 4-pitch (plus an exit pitch to the rim) Flying Buttress route graded Australian 15 and referred to as “an unavoidable classic” by the guidebook. Indeed the buttress towers immediately above the climbers’ bivy. The climbing was engaging for something that was supposed to be easy: thuggish overhangs and even a downwardly flaring slot. In fact, we thought it was noticeably harder than Pagoda (17).
Photos
On the morning commute back to Moonarie (Nov. 2023).
Well – hello (Nov. 2023).
Another member of the welcoming committee (Nov. 2023).
Moonarie (Nov. 2023).
Back at the trailhead. Applying some sending juice (Nov. 2023).
Moonarie (Nov. 2023).
Moonarie (Nov. 2023).
Moonarie (Nov. 2023).
Morning commute (Nov. 2023).
Flying Buttress from near the end of the approach trail (Nov. 2023).
Racking up at the climbers’ camp (Nov. 2023).
Flying Buttress (Nov. 2023).
Chunky but short and easy pitch 1 of Flying Buttress (Nov. 2023).
Starting up pitch 2 of Flying Buttress (Nov. 2023).
Pitch 2 of Flying Buttress (Nov. 2023).
Views towards Pagoda route from the second belay (Nov. 2023).
Shirley arriving at the second belay (Nov. 2023).
Into the opening slot of pitch 3 (Nov. 2023).
Almost past the crux of pitch 3. Surprisingly hard given the rating of 15 (Nov. 2023).
Looking back down at Shirley from just above the weird, downward flared, overhanging slot at the start of the third pitch (Nov. 2023).
Shirley on the third pitch, just above the starting overhang (Nov. 2023).
Arriving at the third belay (Nov. 2023).
Incorrect start to pitch 4 (Nov. 2023).
Scoping out the start of pitch 4 – another overhang (Nov. 2023).
Correct route is to the left of my current position (Nov. 2023).
Shirley on pitch 4 (Nov. 2023).
Shirley arriving at our fourth belay. I cut this pitch a little short to check the guidebook (Nov. 2023).
Looking back at Shirley from above another thuggish bulge on our pitch 5 (Nov. 2023).
Shirley on our pitch 5 (Nov. 2023).
Pitch 5 (Nov. 2023).
Pitch 5 ends with an awkward horizontal slot you crawl through (Nov. 2023).
Crawling into the fifth belay station (Nov. 2023).
Shirley at our fifth belay station on Flying Buttress (Nov. 2023).
Shirley atop the cliffs after climbing Flying Buttress (Nov. 2023).
Aussie humor (Nov. 2023).
Looking down the descent gully (Nov. 2023).
On the hike down (Nov. 2023).
Almost back in the car (Nov. 2023).
Back in Hawker – looking to score some more beer (Nov. 2023).
Full immersion into the local culture in Hawker (Nov. 2023).
Go to Moonarie Days Three And Four.
Go back to South And Western Australia Trip.