Ascensiones en Black Gold Buttress

Low admin, rap in climb out. Fun climbing up a nice orange wall, a little bit punpy too.

A worthwhile arete in a prominent position. Nothing too hard, just abit committing with your rope running around the arete. Would be worth considering twin ropes.

Backlogging due to my previous logged tick being lost by TheCrag.

Pretty chuffed with this onsight at the end of the day, because this route was obviously unchalked, untrafficked, and a touch unloved.

Good, balancy arete climbing. More scary than hard (due to the bolt position). Definitely only gr24.

Cheeky after work lap checking out my new top rope solo set up. Interesting climbing over some mossy holds. A bit of loose rock near the mantle move kept it spicy. Don’t know if I would hurry back to lead it.

old school, harder as black gold

Not as scary as it looks. Balance!

Yes the 1st pitch is icky and a bit hard but the 2nd pitch is the money. So airy and take just 1 or 2 smallish cams...not a full rack! Typical summer arvo from smoke-filled, baking 28C to 15C, heavy mist and massive windchill. As noted this does the Screen Gems crux and then some. Multi-ing is a good option and yes you can walk off.

coming back for the second pitch, great exposure, but the first is a choss fest.

Awful rock on the first pitch

I (surprise surprise) LOVED this! Let's be real: there are definitely not 4 pitches (or anywhere close to 86m) of climbing here, but 2 of the 2.5-3 pitches that do exist are fantastic despite some shonky rock (especially on that first pitch - however, you can mostly avoid it). There was adequate gear despite forgetting both our wires AND hexes (DO bring a #5 camalot though, it's pretty handy). Popping up in the middle of a cliff at the end had a 10/10 novelty factor.

Done in three pitches - a vegitated grovel, a great thrutch, and a solo. I thought it was worth doing, an easy access tradventure with a great 2nd pitch. We took a rack of 0.5-4 with doubles of 0.75-3 and some longish slings for the tree belays.

Truly became one with the vegetation. Tricky crux pitch 2

Top Rope Solo clean. As close to an Onsight, as a lap can get without scoring an Onsight (since I was essentially Seconding the route). I rapped the face to the hanging belay, didn't suss or tick anything, and set off into the unknown. And kinda cruised the whole thing. A 5m intense arete section after you gain the arete from the traverse, but generally quite easy (though enjoyable) climbing above that. The bolts were in more or less the right places (I practiced placing plates and clipping on the lap, solely for the purpose of providing this consumer advice), though the actual QUALITY of the bolts is hideous. Good thin arete and face climbing in an exposed position, though a tad dirty (unsurprisingly), and with some sections of dubious rock.

Didn't place draws on the rap-in to go for the more exciting Onsight. A few sections of very thin thiness separated by good rests. Some funky moves, but the bolts are quite hideous (and the belay is in a really weird place). Didn't feel too hard for the grade. Afternoon shade.

Tricky face climbing - plenty of tapping around to find minging holds. The bolts are definitely looking worse for wear, with more than a little rust. And the belay leaves a lot to be desired. But it's in the shade in the late arvo!

4 stars in a 15 stars system maybe! Fun in it's own way. Bad rock, bad gear, good times.

One star for the funky chimney at the end. The rest was a bit contrived with questionable rock before the ramp.

I hate carrots and rusty pins, and got more scared than I'd like to admit. If you like aretes with no feet and minimal holds, after tenuous traverses, this should be right up your alley.

Next time I try it I'll rap down and put a few draws on first, because I'm a super soft climber of the 21st century.

Climbed from the ground to the top of the cliff in 1 50m pitch with two ropes and only minor rope management. I actually thought Screen Gems had been Retrobolted and I was following that line. Took a rack of cams and I'm glad I did, though it's still excitingly run-out at times. I think the crux move is probably more 22 than 19, though the rest of the route is about right at 19-20. I got confused with the divergent carrots at the crux and rested to try and figure it out. Not bad. Adventurous!

2nd ascent with M Baker. Hmmmm. Shares the crux and some other moves of Screen Gems (22) Brackets would be useful. Mind your ankles.

Not worth the 4 stars in guide but a fun trad climb. Needs some gardening / more climbers. Wonder why the guide gives it 4 stars but no topo, which hardly encourages climbers to go there!

very exciting second pitch... moth plague in fourth pitch chimney

Avoid at all costs. Don't know what we were thinking. With Mike and Paul.

Forgot about this one...

Very Interesting. Watch for loose stuff

nice protected chimney. toby p1, p3, me p2.

Ai trad lead in 3 pitches. First and last two pitches very cruisy. Great gear and comfy placement stances. Fun chimney at end.