Einträge in Queen Victoria Buttress

Climbing here varies from trad climbing, mainly up obvious lines and features, to sport climbing up slabs and sections of rock impossible to protect with natural gear. Of course, there are lots of climbs protected with a mixture of trad gear augmented with occasional bolt runners. Given that the trad ethic is still strong here, and the continuing need to minimize our environmental climbing 'footprint', please avoid unilateral decisions to retro-bolt and be restrained in using fixed protection when establishing new routes.

Climbing here varies from trad climbing, mainly up obvious lines and features, to sport climbing up slabs and sections of rock impossible to protect with natural gear. Of course, there are lots of climbs protected with a mixture of trad gear augmented with occasional bolt runners. Given that the trad ethic is still strong here, and the continuing need to minimize our environmental climbing 'footprint', please avoid unilateral decisions to retro-bolt and be restrained in using fixed protection when establishing new routes.

Climbing here varies from trad climbing, mainly up obvious lines and features, to sport climbing up slabs and sections of rock impossible to protect with natural gear. Of course, there are lots of climbs protected with a mixture of trad gear augmented with occasional bolt runners. Given that the trad ethic is still strong here, and the continuing need to minimize our environmental climbing 'footprint', please avoid unilateral decisions to retro-bolt and be restrained in using fixed protection when establishing new routes.

Climbing here varies from trad climbing, mainly up obvious lines and features, to sport climbing up slabs and sections of rock impossible to protect with natural gear. Of course, there are lots of climbs protected with a mixture of trad gear augmented with occasional bolt runners. Given that the trad ethic is still strong here, and the continuing need to minimize our environmental climbing 'footprint', please avoid unilateral decisions to retro-bolt and be restrained in using fixed protection when establishing new routes.

Start as for Heaven on a Stick.

1. The hand crack to sling a pinnacle to belay.

2. (crux). Slab past 2BRs

Fix a rope from the top of the first abseil in order to exit the route. From the chain at the top of the slab immediately behind (west) of the top of Queen Victoria pinnacle, abseil 40m to reach the notch behind the pinnacle. From the outer edge of the ledge on the north side of the pinnacle, abseil from the chain, down the route to a grassy ledge. Up the finger crack and seam, past a peg runner (not in situ) to the base of a corner. Up this and slab to the chain (belay).

Climbing here varies from trad climbing, mainly up obvious lines and features, to sport climbing up slabs and sections of rock impossible to protect with natural gear. Of course, there are lots of climbs protected with a mixture of trad gear augmented with occasional bolt runners. Given that the trad ethic is still strong here, and the continuing need to minimize our environmental climbing 'footprint', please avoid unilateral decisions to retro-bolt and be restrained in using fixed protection when establishing new routes.

The prominent right-leaning crack-line with an orange right wall. 15m down L of the original (corner) start of Gaia.

1. 35m (crux). The crack.

2. 50m. The slab on the left.

Start from a small ledge (single bolt plus wire belay) below the small corner just up L from the original (corner) start of Gaia. Approach via a 50m abseil from gums close to the edge at the top of the buttress. Alternatively, abseil as per the access to Gaia.

1. 25m (crux). Up the elegant thin corner then the little roof to tea-tree.

2. 25m. Up with increasing ease.

Access via a 75-80m abseil from chains. This rap station is located beside a huge gum tree that leans out precariously (and no doubt is destined to fall into the depths of the gorge under its own weight), on the rim of the gorge around about 50m (?) around northward and down a little from the north edge of the top of the Queen Victoria buttress. This rap station can be used to access Wall to Wall, Send out for More Pizza, Gaia, White Knuckle Days and Statute of Limitations. The abseil can be broken into two, utilising the double bolt belay at the top of the first pitch of Gaia and WKD. There is now a bolted, independent, direct start to the original version of Gaia, as well as an extra bolt in the top of the first pitch, and two bolts in the top pitch. This new reincarnation provides a more even, sustained, but less death-defying route than the original. The first pitch, in particular, is one to savour. Start at the double hangers, mid-way between the original start of Gaia (in the corner) and White Knuckle Days.

1. 40m. 24. Up via 3 fixed hangers to the steepening. Continue on via 3 more fixed hangers through the crux section, then a high carrot and a more recently added higher fixed hanger to reach the new belay station up right on a blunt nose (the original belay was a further 8m or so up at the base of a short overhanging corner).

2. 35m. 21. Up to and up the overhanging corner crack (takes a few medium cams), then straight up via two bolt-protected bulges to the rap chains.

An exceptional first pitch - sustained, varied and continuously engaging. Access via 80m of abseiling from the top of Gaia (there is a new set of rap chains at the top showing the way. The 80m can be broken into two abseils by using the new belay station 40m down on Gaia, though a single 100m static rope makes life easier and provides a retreat option if required). Starts from the double carrot bolt belay between Gaia and Statute of Limitations (see p112 of the 2006 comprehensive Mt Buffalo guidebook).

1. 45m (24) Follow the bolt runners up the shallow closed corner, trending a little leftward at a couple of overlaps, to join into the top section of the first pitch of Gaia. A carrot bolt then another FH as for Gaia lead to a 2FH belay (up right from the last FH runner, on a blunt nose).

2. 35m (21) Step right and easily up to the base of a slightly overhanging open-book corner (the original belay spot for the top of Gaia’s first pitch). Up this (a few medium cams – gold, red, green and purple Camelots or equivalent - can be placed). Continue straight up via 2 FHs – one at each of two short, steep bulges - to belay at the abseil chains.

Access as for Gaia and White Knuckle Days or by using a sizeable gumtree a little further northward along the gorge rim. Best to leave an abseil rope in place in case retreat needs to be sounded. Start approx 20m right of Gaia (and a few metres around right from the start of White Knuckle days) at a 2BB.

1. 15m (21). Step right into thin crack and up to the belay ledge.

2. 35m (24). Out L (BR), then slab up following 4 more BRs, tending slightly rightward on some beautiful, if disconcertingly polished, rock. Belay off abseil tree.

Climbing here varies from trad climbing, mainly up obvious lines and features, to sport climbing up slabs and sections of rock impossible to protect with natural gear. Of course, there are lots of climbs protected with a mixture of trad gear augmented with occasional bolt runners. Given that the trad ethic is still strong here, and the continuing need to minimize our environmental climbing 'footprint', please avoid unilateral decisions to retro-bolt and be restrained in using fixed protection when establishing new routes.

Climbing here varies from trad climbing, mainly up obvious lines and features, to sport climbing up slabs and sections of rock impossible to protect with natural gear. Of course, there are lots of climbs protected with a mixture of trad gear augmented with occasional bolt runners. Given that the trad ethic is still strong here, and the continuing need to minimize our environmental climbing 'footprint', please avoid unilateral decisions to retro-bolt and be restrained in using fixed protection when establishing new routes.

Climbing here varies from trad climbing, mainly up obvious lines and features, to sport climbing up slabs and sections of rock impossible to protect with natural gear. Of course, there are lots of climbs protected with a mixture of trad gear augmented with occasional bolt runners. Given that the trad ethic is still strong here, and the continuing need to minimize our environmental climbing 'footprint', please avoid unilateral decisions to retro-bolt and be restrained in using fixed protection when establishing new routes.

The longest hard-ish route on the plateau, with pitch grades of 16, 23, 25 M1, 20, 21, 19, easy, 24, 22, 21, 22, ?, 13. Warning!!! Pitches 2 and 3 have a few dangerous (brittle) screw-in ring bolts which need to be replaced! Access: either scramble down, down, down Queen Vic Gully to the foot of the buttress, or make the many abseils required down the route (it the latter option is chosen, realise that a bit further than half way down there is notch behind the lower of the two pinnacles that are major features of this buttress. A short roped scramble/climb up the back of tis lower pinnacle is required before the abseiling can be continued down the route to the bottom). Route is best described and seen by the route description and photo-topo on pp112 and 113 respectively of the 2006 guidebook

Climbing here varies from trad climbing, mainly up obvious lines and features, to sport climbing up slabs and sections of rock impossible to protect with natural gear. Of course, there are lots of climbs protected with a mixture of trad gear augmented with occasional bolt runners. Given that the trad ethic is still strong here, and the continuing need to minimize our environmental climbing 'footprint', please avoid unilateral decisions to retro-bolt and be restrained in using fixed protection when establishing new routes.

Climbing here varies from trad climbing, mainly up obvious lines and features, to sport climbing up slabs and sections of rock impossible to protect with natural gear. Of course, there are lots of climbs protected with a mixture of trad gear augmented with occasional bolt runners. Given that the trad ethic is still strong here, and the continuing need to minimize our environmental climbing 'footprint', please avoid unilateral decisions to retro-bolt and be restrained in using fixed protection when establishing new routes.