Ascents in Starless Buttress having Beta

Lovely face climbing.

With young (14 y.o.) Lachie, who loved it. The sometimes maligned first pitch is pretty good (21 not 22) but the upper pitch is fantastic - wonderful exposure, absorbing climbing and great gear.

Best route on this wall. Long, and continually interesting, spicey but not death. Great position punching up the arete =)

Seconding Gezza. Man, what a rad finish at the grade. Committing, despite appearances.

2nd redpoint attempt, after a TRS rehearsal. Took a huuuuge fall on my first RP attempt. Short and hardly a "line" but cool rock and moves, and crazy sustained for a face climb.

A great route apart from the spooky loose flake. Some decent runouts. What a commanding line.

Wow!! What a route! Mind blowing end on massive holds! Did a silly and almost pumped out trying to clip the bolt, held the quickdraw, then had to deal with crazy rope drag the rest of the way.

Technical finish, would be a hard onsight but the grade seems fair. There is now a bolt, looks like a block might've come off

Most comfortable I've ever been on a 17. Gear is small but good

Gravelly crimps that hurt ol' gym-softy's fingies. Getting past the first two bolts was not the issue, the crux is well above the 2nd bolt. Rockover move at the top is actually pretty easy and not grade 23 as suggested (< 20 imho and quite secure), however ...

... the route has at least 2 holds that have blown off the wall above the 2nd bolt, one of which we know for sure was a result of lead fall onto a wire (which blew the hold and ripped). So the route is not (quite) the same as when Mike Graham did it - notwithstanding how outrageously impressive Mike's ascent was.

I'll just be happy TR'ing this one. If I were better and had more margin I might do it as the 2 bolt sport route that it is. (Trad gear available at the very start to get to the first bolt safely, between the bolts which is unnecessary and some hard to place tiny wires near the rockover too but the route is basically over by then.)

very airy! Not sure if the bolt out left is in but there didn't look like a lot of pro going on, might com back and lead it when fitter but wouldn't want to take that whip! felt more like 23 traversing back to the arete at half height

Third go after Chris did it, taking out his gear. A bit of a spicy meatball this one, not sure if I’m brave enough this trip.

Adds a little bit but that little bit is choss and doesn’t change the grade.

Sussing out the moves on toprope. Somewhat of a dream route and definitely keen on a lead down the line

Sussing it out for a lead attempt in the future. Dialled some sequences...bold technical face climbing.

Oooofff this is damn hard, need a bit of head game for these bold slaby face runouts. But I downclimbed, so I’ll come back for a flash eventually

Another classic baby-send added to the list

Extremely exciting route. First pitch felt nails to second! 2nd pitch was some of the most exciting climbing I have done at the mount! Had to sit at the first crux and again at the roof traverse to build up some courage haha. Can’t wait to climb it again

Such a fun climb! 🥳

Probably the easier 22/21 at Araps. Good fun, worth the approach.

Great moves in an even better position.

Pretty damn good climbing. maybe a bit soft at the grade but a really good time finishedjusg before dark

Wow. What a route! Felt very unsure about the looming flake. Glue seemed to hold. Some run-outs with a safe fall.

Fun jugs in the top half. The run out top makes it quite exciting.

Much more fun than it looks with great gear and an enjoyable run out finish.

Not 22. First pitch has barely any jamming, probably grade 18-19. Second pitch is more like pumpy jugs with a couple jams, probably 20 if good pump management. Fun adventurous climbing though! Enjoyable. Sharp rock.

lead pitch 2. lucky me. pitch 1 was defo the crux!! no idea why pitch 2 gets 22... great pro and jugs all the way! and really cool position to move left at the roof!

There’s sometimes a fine line between 2 and 3 stars but a gem for sure, 3 stars in my book, great gear you could hang a herd of hippos on that route.

Led pitch 1, good climbing all the way

Seemed way easier than the grade, probably a matter of style of climbing

Ditto, though the one move had me on tip toes with an RP and a grey TCU behind me.

Loose feeling and not that well protected. Double ropes are good.

A really good wire at half height, then that's it.

Such a good route!

Followed Steve up after he runs it out through the crux above some gnarly boulders proclaiming the route is 'Child's Play'. Who has this man become?! We both thought it was soft as silk.

What better way to wrap up the trip.. Climb 10m with no gear, traverse under a snake out onto the arête, stuff in some cams and start spending pump coins.. Clipping the bolt on Breezin was a bad idea on my single rope, the pendulum fall into an opposing wall I risked and the rope drag were both quite bad.. However, it only adds to an exceptionally memorable ascent with Steveo, who had an equally exciting experience on second!

The line on the topo is in the right place. I tried to go up too early but realised my mistake and came back down then went right!

A great bit of adventure.

I really rate this one. Great postion. Great climbing. Great gear the whole way. What more could you want?