Mount Buffalo Day 1

Australia

Go back to Southeastern Australia Roadtrip.
Go back to Grampians Day 2.

Where Angels Fear To Tread
Where Angels Fear To Tread.

Like many climbers visiting this national park, we started things off with a trip up the classic Where Angels Fear To Tread route; about 230 meters of climbing (plus another 100 meters of scrambling) and with a 17 rating. Probably the first non-sandbagged rating we’ve seen in about 4 days. This is a route tailor made for those with long arms and large hands (and feet!) as the crack is a wide flare where you have to reach inside to get good jams. If you’re small, you’re shit out of luck – need to reach deeper to get to your jam size while scraping your petite little ankles on the coarsely grained granite. The line is indeed proud looking – a splitter system in a 200+ meter, clean, white granite buttress. Lastly, this is a route where you hike in from the top (longer and bushwhackier than expected) but end up exiting close to your car. Back in Myrtleford in the afternoon and enjoying the awesome pool that our Airbnb offered – highlight of the trip!

Photos

Mount Buffalo
Driving up to Mount Buffalo National Park (Dec. 2019).
Mount Buffalo
Starting the downhill approach to the start of Where Angels Fear To Tread route (Dec. 2019).
Mount Buffalo
Longer and rougher than we had expected given the popularity of the route (Dec. 2019).
Mount Buffalo
Angels Buttress – home to the >200 meter splitter system that is Where Angels Fear To Tread (Dec. 2019).
Mount Buffalo
Short sections of fixed lines on the approach (Dec. 2019).
Mount Buffalo
Views down valley (place is called The Gorge; Dec. 2019).
Mount Buffalo
More approach fun (Dec. 2019).
Mount Buffalo
Looking over towards the North Wall of The Gorge. This is home to Australia’s most famous big wall route called Ozymandias (which in fact goes through the obvious roofs; Dec. 2019).
Mount Buffalo
Shirley searching for the elusive inland taipan (Dec. 2019).
Mount Buffalo
Almost there (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Starting up Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct. We’d combine some pitches but did not get too carried away (so that we could take more photos; Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Nearing the first belay (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
If you have small hands and feet and shorter arms and legs, you need to dig a bit deeper into the crack to get good jams – meaning you’re also more likely to scrape yourself (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Shirley arriving at the second belay (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Starting up pitch 3: an short and easy slab traverse to pick up the obvious splitter seen here (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Looking back at Shirley from the short slab traverse on pitch 3 (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Higher on our pitch 3 (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Shirley following the pitch 3 slab traverse (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread
Shirley arriving at the third belay (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Lookee at that nice splitter crack (Dec. 2019)!
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Starting up pitch 4 (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Leading pitch 4 (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Shirley arriving at the fourth belay (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Views from the fourth belay (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Another look at the North Wall and Ozymandais (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Leading pitch 5 – bit grovel-y this one (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Looking up at the rim (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Where some tourists were getting a taste of portaledge life from a guide (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Was being eaten alive by the flies – have not seen them this obnoxious before (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Shirley topping out on pitch 5 or so. Temperature was pretty balmy at this point (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
The approach to Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct starts next to the launch ramp for these guys (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
More views towards the rim (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Pitch 6 I think. From here we started looking for the Burston’s Crevasse and the way to the top (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Shirley dropping into the “crevasse” (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Shirley in Burston’s Crevasse (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Scrambling in the “crevasse” (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
We roped up for a short, exposed section at the tippy top (Dec. 2019).
Where Angels Fear To Tread Direct
Packing up at the car (Dec. 2019).
Mount Buffalo
Mount Buffalo Chalet (Dec. 2019).
Myrtleford
Welcoming committee back at the cabin in Myrtleford (Dec. 2019).
Myrtleford
Soaking away the heat strokes in the bourbon and the pool (Dec. 2019).

Go to Mount Buffalo Days 2 And 3.
Go back to Southeastern Australia Roadtrip.