Mount Buffalo Guide

Excellent protection and shade until 1pm. Mantle on ledge left of Mother of pearl. Follow the arete/ chimney to the left of Mother of Pearl. Rap off trees (1 rope) or continue across to Llafnwood rap station (2 ropes). Climb is a little dirty, but climbs well for the grade.

Unless you rap off first pitch you will need 2 ropes to descend.

1. (20m, 14) Follow the corner/ crack up to trees. Takes lots of small gear (rap possible from dead tree if you're feeling lucky).

2. (35m, 12) Slab up the corner to gear belay OR traverse to Llafnwood rap station. Recommended to combine these pitches.

3. 40m Up corner and slab to ledge with rap anchor.

4. 35m Traverse the ledge to the right past the bushes, then follow cracks up and left. Belay above rap anchor below overlap (green and purple camalots).

5. 55m Three options. 5.a. (45m, 12) Traverse left to corner, follow it up. 5.b. (50m, 10) Original unprotected slab line directly above belay following ridge. 5.c. (55m, 10) Head right from belay, mantle onto slab, and up passing two bolts.

Descent: Rap station tucked under the large boulder at the top (10m right of the overhanging wall). A 60m rap gets you to another station at the top of pitch 4. Then it's 30m to top of pitch 3, or 63m to top of pitch 2 - you may come up short depending how stretchy your ropes are. Then 50m top of pitch 2 to to ground.

Now with 3 bolts and a rap station at 45m. Still a bold start, but makes for a great climb. Place a high runner in the corner of MoP, then delicate traverse across slab to good holds, then up.

"Probably the best slick slab in Victoria". Originally had only 4 bolts, retrobolted by Mikl Dec 2010. Start: Start 5m R of TR at left facing flake. Up to rap station, eay climbing above this to join MoP or rap off.

This route takes the prominent large slab at the far left of Mackey's Lookout Slabs (as seen from the road below). The climbing is good but the access is not.

Follow the walking track along the top past Mackey's Lookout, past the Stiletto Slab cairn, cross the creek and continue to the eastern most point (where the track swings back and passes behind a boulder). Bash down ridge for about 40 minutes until you come to the top of the slabs, then continue down the right side (facing out) to the base of the slabs (about another hour). The first pitch is on a lower slab just below the larger expanse.

1. 50m (15) Start is marked with a purple ribbon tied to a shrub. Good luck finding it! Up centre of slab past floating flake at 15m (2" cam below, nut above) then run it out (30m), to top of slabs and belay in bushes. Bash a further 15m through scrub and up chimney (grade 4), to wooded ledge. You are now beneath the main big slab.

2. 60m (15) Restart at hole 15m L of cave. Classic slabbing straight up to dyke (no pro), then up easily to L-leading trench. Belay on chockstone (body belay).

3. 55m (9) Up following L-leading line (good pro), then at 30m follow stylish R-leading dyke across the slab to belay at bushes above short overlap. Big dropoff on R.

4. 65m (11) Up thin seam 3m L of bushy line, then follow huge dyke upwards (L of distinct water runnel), to belay at flake below headwall.

5. 45m (9) R and up easily (no pro) to belay in trees at top. Bash up and R to track.

Essentially an escape off left from 'Stiletto'

Start: Starts at the inverted V overlap with a small natural stair formation beneath L of centre of the slab.

1. 25m (15) Up the stair formation and around the bush, lots of friable flakes.

2. 55m (15) Follow the overlap to a bush on the lip. Onto the slab (past the 2 x BRs marking the start of 'A Fundamental Difference of Opinion'), along a thin vein above the lip, then L a few metres up an easy ramp. Up onto the slab and follow a faint crack up R to a small but distinct spike. Step R then continue up until you can move back L to an insecure belay on the L side of some large hollow flakes.

3. 50m (15) Across the belay flakes, up past some small flakes, L along a ripple for about 5m then straight up the slab to the vegetated corner.

4. 50m (15) Up to and delightfully along the undercling to the far side of the slab. Up to a ledge with a large tea-tree. The footpath is a short scramble up.

A good line, good rock, good gear in a great environment. Take 10 bolt plates for the first pitch.

1. 42m (16) Start at small curving ledge, two carrots, about 8m left of the last rap bolts. Sustained enjoyable face climbing on thin rails. Follow the white streak past 8 BR crossing large flakes at 3/4 height. 5m below belay scoop traverse right along break to weakness on right.

2. 55m (15) Start at lovely belay scoop (DBB with double captive rap rings). Up prominent white streak, directly above belay. Very thin, balancy, and sustained. Would be easier if cool or in overcast conditions. DBB with link chain and single captive rap ring. (All ring bolts - no hangers required)

3. 27m (7) Straight up from belay crossing small overlap. 2 glue in ring bolts. Ends at DBB (each with captive rap ring) on easy to get to large boulder at top of cliff, roughly level with the waterfall where it briefly goes vertical.

Consistent at the grade and very enjoyable. Fully bolted, take a couple of bolt plates, the rest is rings.

Start: Best to rap in (25m first, then 55m 2nd rap then 40m 3rd rap) from the far side of the waterfall as you walk in.

1. 45m (16) Up following ring bolts. Pitches 2 and 3 to the top follow A Fundamental Difference of Opinion, 55m (15) and 27m (7)

(1) 40m Start up 1st pitch of 'Stiletto', but when on slab above corner, head up and R to BB on narrow curving ledge. (2) 40m (crux) Up past 2BRs and thin flake to 2BB on narrow ledge. (3) 40m Up past ?3 BRs to 2BB in a scoop below a small overlap. (4) 45m 1 BR Easily to top.

Line of fixed hangers up dyke to join 'Weekend Hustlers'.

Up the line via some small trad gear and two bolts. When the corner seam peters out (at the second bolt?), there is a slippery quartz dyke heading up rightwards. Step right then up via a third bolt to gain some ledges which lead up and left a short distance to a double bolt belay ('On The Edge Of Equilibrium'). From here the best continuation is probably 'On The Edge' Of Equilibrium' (directly above). Alternative finishes include moving left about 8-10m along the slopey ledge to belay on 'No Ego' and then either following the sparsely protected 'Dry Weather Road' or following the easier and better protected 'No Ego' .

Start: Starts immediately left of the waterfall (or water trickle, depending on rainfall) at a short, black, slightly leftward leaning seam/corner-of-sorts (i.e the next line down and to the left of Spit and Polish). *this is at the base of 'Stiletto' Slab.

Lovely slab climbing. Consistent. Take 5 bolt plates.

Start: Starts on a small ledge about 35m off the ground level on the 'Stiletto' slab wall, just left (say 4-5m) of the waterfall at DBB (glue in M10x100mm carrots). *This is around 8-10m right (facing in) from the start/belay rings of 'No Ego'.

Clean sustained slab climbing.

Thin, sustained and slippery.

Start: Start in the gully R of the 'Stiletto' slab below the steepening.

Starts about two-thirds the way up the first pitch of 'High Heels'. This pitch starts higher in the gully than the guide book suggests and the first pitch traverses almost horizontally to the start of the cracks.

1. 45m, 16. Crux. 4 BRs. About 5m below the belay of 'High Heels', traverse L to the start of an incipient zig-zag crack. Up this to a grassy ledge at the start of the corner.

2. 45m, 15. The corner then the slab.

(1) 20m From where the gully steepens, continue up to belay beside the slab. (2) 40m Climb the slab passing 3 BRs, keeping as far to the L as prudent. Belay above the overlap. (3) 40m The faint groove and beyond.

Start: Starts in the gully on the R side of the 'Stiletto' Slab.

Easy but unprotected slabbing. It is quite possible that the last couple of pitches of 'Good Luck And Good Management' merge into this route. Follow the walking track from the hairpin bend to the first bend in the track. Traverse across the hillside for about 50 metres until the edge of the slab is reached. Descend next to the slab for about 15 metres to a scrubby ledge on the right (facing out).

P1 (53m, 10) Go up past right edge of an overlap, swing up left onto slab above. Straight up black rock for about 15 metres to a traverse line and go 5 metres left to a grassy scoop. Follow the line directly above until it meets a dyke on the left. Up dyke for a couple of metres to belay off a small wire just past a small overlap on left. P2 (30m, -) Stroll up.

When the wombat comes a crossing, look the other way.

Ten pitches of dangerous run-out slab following the waterfall of Stiletto Slab to the top. Sometimes slab, sometime mountaineering (may even be well iced in winter?), and always, always lichen growing on polished granite.

Approach as for Noblesse Oblige and continue past Good Luck and Good Management. Keep walking left (if facing the cliff) along the slabs to the high point of one set of trees. Down to the bottom of this slab/ gully. Continue to next high point then down to the bottom of the next gully. This is where the climb of horror begins.

1. 55m - From base of slabs up a right until you reach mossy choss on your right. Keeping around 4m to the left of this until you can belay from bucket seat like scoop in wall off one decent cam and two marginal micro-nuts.

2. 50m - Up a left from scoop keeping to the right of small arete in slab. Once clear of arete move diagonally up a left to place gear in wet crack that the waterfall runs through in summer. Cross "waterfall" crack and belay from small scoop ledge of 3 micro-cams.

3. 55m - Head for large bolder directly above on the right side of the break in the trees. The bolder has a visible crack around its base. Set up belay on right side of bolder about 2-3 meters after you first reach it. Left of the boulder is thick lichen which has the consistency of seaweed in rain.

4. 50m - Up past larger boulder avoiding loose rock missiles which would most likely hit your belayer. Keep moving as directly up as possible, but going left when lichen halts your progress. Belay of decent gear from small sloped ledge with a bush on the right and a thick band of trees directly above.

5. 60m - Up and left through heading towards large scoop in rock, that is high on the left and low on the right. Belay from left hand side of scoop.

6. 50m - Move right 2m from belay placing small micro-cam to prevent fall factor 2. Up and left leaving scoop onto main slab heading towards white polished section of wall. Belay from ledge where there may be a small "foot-bath" to refresh your feet.

7. 50m - Head towards steep water washed white granite wall up and slightly left. Belay where possible near bush directly below the "white wall."

8. 60m - Easy scrambling to the base of steep wall. Skirt right heading towards blocky steep gully. Belay halfway up gully.

9. 60m - Up through gully keeping to the right of main wall (you are now on Stiletto Slab). Once rope runs out head into scrub on right and belay off small trees.

10. 50m - Up through dangerous choss (mossy and loose) slinging largest vegetation possible. Aim for large boulder slightly overhanging wall. Belay from top of this avoiding the "shark fin" boulder which is begging for a one way trip to the ground.

From the boulder you can bash through seriously thick bush directly behind for 10- 15 meters and up onto another slab. Walk up a few more meters until you reach "The Big Walk." Make a right turn down the track to head towards Mackey's lookout, while you question your sanity and why on earth you listened to a wombat that morning.

Another long and somewhat engaging slab outing on this long sweep of stone.

Pitch 1 - start as for 'The Wombat Of Misdirection' but rather than crossing the waterfall at its second pitch (not recommended if the falls are flowing heavily) continue to ramble upwards staying mostly on the cleaner slabs keeping right of the falls all the way to the top of the cliff. Many cruxes including a variety of steep slabbing, slippery moss gardens, vertical jungle scrambling, bouldering, avoiding waterfalls and general adventure shenanigans. Optional belays abound allowing any would be repeat ascentionists to split this single pitch 500+ metre route into as many pitches as you like, but fair warning - most of the possible 'pitches' would be unprotectable and belays would likely be rubbish anyway (unless you belay at various trees and bushes along the way). First Ascent was soloed and while not recommended, may not be much more dangerous than attempting to pitch it out. Repeat at your own risk.

Long multi-pitch slab left of Noblesse Oblige and right of Stiletto Slab. No bolts.

Start is good but soon deteriorates. Access: As for Noblise Oblige: Follow yellow tape up ridge to base of Noblise Oblige (easily locatable from first bolt on R most low-angled slab). Cross L vegetated line to slab of Good Luck and Good Management (also with FHs), then cross next vegetated line to large slab that starts a bit lower.

1. 70m 14 Up sweeping slabs past distinctive "X" where two dykes cross-cross to shrub belay. No protection.

2. 40m 13 Up water runnels to shrub belay. No protection.

3. 35m 13 Up 20m then L into bushes and bash through to slabs on other side.

4. 35m 10 Straight up R of creek to shrub belay. Stay L of main bushy gully.

5. 60m 12 Up and R following clean rock joining R-leaning line (gear) up to obvious broken overlap (belay).

6. 45m 11 Through overlap and up line leading R slightly. Cam belay in trench.

7. 50m 10 Up between vegetated lines to belay in dry scrubby creek on L.

8. 50m 12 R and up through gap in bushes to trench belay on L.

9. 50m 8 Follow giant R-leading dykes to belay in next horizontal scrub band.

10. 40m 8 Up towards big towering black overlap, weaving around scrub and moss, passing some big blocks.

11. 40m 8 Head L to avoid overlap and enter scrub with much disappointment and start bush bashing. Another 50m of hideous scrub bashing to the walking track.

6 hours car-to-car

A good honest easy adventure route.

Start: From the gully left of Noblesse Obliege, below a small flake leading on to the slab.

1. 50m Up flake and follow water streaks to good crack near a small corner on the slab edge.

2. 45m (crux) Tend right to ledge and scoop with small bush.

3. 60m Up left of bush then right up water streaks to small stance at widening in seam.

4. 90m Up centre of slab to ledge below a large tree. Belays are scarce on this pitch, so a little simul-climbing is necessary (adequate pro).

5. 45m Up easily to interesting mantle at overlap then left to bushy ledge.

6. 35m Up crack, then water streak to small stance in seam on right.

7. 55m Directly up to belay at small overlap.

8. 35m Easily up to next overlap.

9. 55m Cruise slab following dykes to scoop (one cam in slot and small bushes).

10. 40m Walk to top.

Enjoyable slab climbing in a proud position high on Mackey’s. Pitch 1 is probably one of the best slab pitches at the grade at Buffalo, and pitch 3 pulls through a body-height overlap. 60m rope essential.

Start: most parties will approach this via the first 6 pitches of Good Luck and Good Management (and this might become the preferred finish to that route). When done this way, the combined route is 498m with pitches of 12,14,14,13,6,9,15,12,14,6. It would also be possible to rap in, but you’d need to scramble down the top slab to find the last belay bolt (SS FH in a good stance), then rap 58m to the bushy ledge, then 40m to the DBB, then 60m to the base, and retrieve gear on the ascent.

1. 60m 15. As for GLAGM pitch 7, start up the slab, move right to the crack, up this (cams). Then straight up the clean white slab, passing 5(?) FHs, to a DBB on a small stance just as you run out of rope.

2. 45m 12. Straight up over a small overlap (pro), then up the grey slab to a FH, then straight up over another small overlap and into the bushy ledge. One FH (and many small trees) for belay.

3. 58m 14. Up the slab past FH to the overlap (high FH hard to spot from below). Pull through this on good holds and follow the lovely dyke up the slab above (occasional pro and one or two FH) to DBB at a good stance just before you run out of rope.

4. 40m 6. Up easily to the top, or scramble off right.

Best long easy slab at Buffalo, Easy slab climbing up a long black streak, so avoid it in rain. Take slings and a light rack, hexes or tricams are useful. Be prepared for 10-15m runouts on easier ground.

Stash a bicycle near the top beforehand, for an easy way back down to retrieve the car afterwards.

Start: Drive up about 1 km from 'Eurobin Falls' and the buttress is obvious through the trees, there is a stream and a big white boulder here, tape on tree to mark start a bit further right. Walk up the right ridge of the gully, keeping 60m to the right of the creek to avoid death slab/vegetation and cut across when you are level with the base of the buttress, about 15-20 minutes, there are some small cairns and yellow tapes. You solo an easy slab, then there is a tree with double yellow tapes on it, go right here to the start The climb takes about 1 or 2 hours. Start on the right side of the slab, right of a left slanting scrubby crack.

Basically 4 or 5 pitches up a black streak up a buttress. Then an easy traverse 20m right to a black streak up the next buttress for 3 pitches, then 2 easy finishing walk/scramble pitches.

1. 35m (8) Head up right to a short crack with a flake at the top at 10m, then leftwards past another flake then a BR, to belay in a big scoop off a single bolt and gear.

2. 25m (8) Climb up past flakes to 2 BB in a deep bushy scoop.

3. 40m (13) Go right up a dyke to a poor sling runner, up to BR, and then past another sling to a double bolt belay in a scoop.

4. 40m (13) Up past BR to a dyke at 30m, walk R 6m to a sling and bolt belay.

5. 45m (12) Walk back left 6m to black streak and up past BR, to 2 bolt belay..

6. 50m (11) Traverse diagonally right past a crack, a thread-able flake and more cracks to a bush in the black streak on the next buttress to the right. Up black streak to double bolt belay.

7. 45m (10) Up streak past gear in scoops and one BR to bolt belay.

8. 40m (8) Head up slightly rightwards (~ 12.30 o'clock direction) past 3 bolts, and up white slab to double bolt belay on ledge.

9. 100m (4) Continue scrambling in the 1 o'clock direction up the dirty slabby buttress to the "Great Walk" track.

From the top of Home James, keep skirting around the gorge rim (rightward, looking out) and down a little to a ledge (immediately east from a short east-facing finger-crack - Finger Fantasy). A double bolt rap chain is located toward the east edge of this ledge. This the belay at the top of Body Heat and Sweet Nothings.

Abseil in 25m to hanging double bolt belay (bolt plates required). Up past 5 FHs.

The steep blunt arete to the R of Body Heat.

Start as Home James then go straight up slab instead of traversing right.Confusing move on the Headwall. 3 carrots, plus 2 (?) from the start of Home James.

Great climbing up some fantastic dyke features, can be a little hard to find. A few carrot bolts and some small to medium cams and wires.

To access, rap down slab from big chock stone that you sling just around a large boulder past the hang glider ramp. You should be able to see the dykes near where the wall turns vertical as you rap down. There is a super comfy belay at the bottom with two carrot bolts.

Starts a couple of metres left of 'And don't spare the horses' (apparently the numbers given to these two routes in the text in the '06 guidebook should have been reversed).

Delicate slabbing up first 3 bolts, then move left to wide crack past 2 more bolt. Up left over crack to finish on slab past another bolt to belay at the base of Home James.

Starts from near the right side of the sizeable flat ledge directly below the base of Home James. Up the slab which sweeps up tending rightward, past 3BRs to a steepening (large-medium cam possible but not essential). Up and over this, past another BR, and up leftward to the belay at the base of Home James.

Climbs the crack and arete beside Home James, and shares HJ's last bolt. Rap to DFH belay then follow the FHs with optional gear to share the last bolt with ‘Home James’. Note route length includes the 10m slab-walk back to the belay

Classic hard slab climbing.

To get to the belay, a fixed 70m rope will make it from a gear belay to the right of Home James, or you can stop at the belay for P2. Aim down and right to a small bushy ledge.

A few metres left of Banana Blase is a line of 4 carrot bolts. could definitely get some additional small pro in. Access as per Banana Blase.

Rap down the route (fixed hangers 10m right facing out of the hang-gliding ramp.) Layback your way up the stylish flake, step right to crack and delicately up.

From the extreme right-hand end of the Fat Wall Ordinaire Banana Blase ledge reach up to clip the first BR, then head out right to reach the arete. Up the left side of this.

The prominent R-leaning diagonal crack down from Ring-a-Ding Ding

Louise

2m Left of Thin Wall Special Pineapple delight is an un-named line of bolts in a shallow crack. Access as per TWSPD.

Approximately 20 metres before the hang glider lookout on the cliff edge there is a large car-sized boulder with a triangular gully next to it. Rap in down the gully to a large platform. On the left of the platform (looking out) there is steepish ramp with 3 cracks in it. The right 2 cracks are Thin Wall Special Pineapple Delight. Mostly good protection, run-out at top.

The arete R of TWSPD. The unprotected start means this is more often top-roped than led. Head right to arete then up dyke and onto left wall. Up past BR to the top.

Rap off at far right side of echo point lookout. Climb is a ramp going from right to left (looking out) and the brown streak at the top is approximately middle of the climb. Rap in to ledge follow obvious diagonal line. No pro, good holds

The top half of this route was destroyed by the Sep 2021 Earthquake, See route 'shake and quake" for the new re-established route.

Chaos Gully really living up to it's name had a large rock-fall, triggered by the earthquake in Sep 2021. The offending rock was the top half of 'Show and Tell' The absence of this large boulder, revealed an appealing open book corner.

Start up left side of prominent slab at bottom left end of dyke line (as for Show and Tell). Easy finger crack up to slab, climb past FH on right wall, where delicate slab/corner moves lead to a large ledge. Stem/hand jam Open book corner to glory.

Continue downhill from Mushroom Rock for perhaps another 70m to the end of a rocky promontory (not far from where the rough climbers' track - used to get down to Isotope Wall, Angel's buttress or the North Wall of the gorge - swings hard left, looking out, and into and through a narrow rock cleft). Abseil 35m over the route, angling slightly leftward/east to belay in the steep gully off the east side of the buttress. Engaging climbing up past 2 carrot bolts and around right onto the front of the buttress and a fixed hanger. Then slab up tending rightward past four more carrot bolts, a fixed hanger, then the arete past a final carrot bolt to belay.

An exciting linkup from the top of Vortex's main dyke into Vertical Tai Chi's 2nd pitch. Belay in the corner at the top of Vortex's main difficulties. Around arete to delicately traverse (wire up in a high crack) across and up to a FH on VTC and finish as for that route.

Not the sort of route to take your non-climbing boyfriend/girlfriend up. Takes the prominent crack splitting the buttress. Follow this (trench belay possible), then walk left and up short chimney, then wander up.

Follow Devilled Cream past the trench belay and up the chimney. Instead of easily rambling off left, head up the short crack, to step right onto slab at BR, then up via another two BRs.

Up the right trending crack with wide “pod” partway up to bolted anchors under roof

Access best by using a 100m static to abseil the approx 85m (?) from the top of Home James, down that route, continuing down past 'Back in an Hour' and through the hole/'cave' formed by chock-stones which brings you out onto a large grassy ramp/ledge. Stay on the abseil rope for the short scramble down rightward (facing in) to a bolt anchor above Wild Blue Yonder. Another short (30m?) abseil from bolts gets you to the start of that climb (at the ledge above Goat's Head Soup). The original route (17, scarier with just a single carrot bolt) started about 10m left of Goat Island - one or two moves from the left end of the ledge accessed the big diagonal ramp/line. This better version (18, more direct and well protected) starts about 6 or 7 m right of the original.

1. 30m Up via a bolt runner (18) to gain the 'line'. Follow the dyke diagonally left to the original carrot bolt then up the slab via three FHs to a ledge and bolt anchor. From here, it is easy to scramble up around left and eventually hit the south side climbers' access track. Alternatively:

2. "25m Head up to the 'Goat Island' belay.

3. 40m L to arête, up, staying to the right of the vegetated gully, belay beneath chockstone. Scramble up unpleasant vegetated gullies to arrive below the hand-over-hand chain" (Mt Buffalo 2006 guidebook, Lindorff and Murray)

Bolts replaced 2021.

A new bolt with rap ring (added in 2023) now augments the single old carrot and dubious peg that formed the belay at the end of p2.

A fixed hanger added (2023) between the first two of the three original carrots makes this very enjoyable.

Looks good.

1. 35m. Start as for Diamond Dogs Direct Start. Up DDDS to its fourth bolt then straight up, through the traverse line of DD, and the headwall above (fixed hangers) to a double ring belay.

2. 45m. Step L and up into a thin flake (bolts). From the top of the flake, hard moves right up a series of edges. Up leftwards (bolts) to drop down left around the base of blunt arete and up into the gully to belay.

A rough/crystalline, flaring, diagonal crack... hmmm! Starts at the double rap ring at the end of p1 of Manhattan Project.

1. Up face (FH) to the right-leaning flared crack. Up this and thin crack (many cams and wires) to where it peters out. Up bulge (FH) to a small ledge. Up short wall (BR) to gain another ledge. Follow this for approximately 20m until an exit is possible.

The dark side of the angel. First ascent by Digby Gotts and Peter Watling in about 1971 in 5 pitches. Two cruxes, the second pitch being about 180 feet jam crack for arms and boots, and the 4th being a 90 degree corner of about 30 feet. This one was originally led unprotected, but I believe a bolt has been placed to help a bit.

Possibly the best easy crack route in Australia with superb jamming on every pitch.

Best done as 5 or so pitches but can be done in as many as 8 with some silly hanging belays. Most of the pitches described below could be split at about halfway depending on your gear etc.

1. 50m (17) Scramble up blocks and into steep jam crack. Gloriously up this until it turns slabby after a short while and enjoy yourself all the way up to the comfortable ledge at about 50m. Original tree belay lower down fell out.

2. 40m (16) Awkward move off belay then continue up to ledge where the crack peters out (possible belay). Slab excitingly left to next crack system and up to awkward semi hanging belay stance where the crack widens to make a pod.

3. 50m (17) Scramble over belayer and climb up crack and through the bulge. Step delicately right into new crack system as the left one vanishes and enjoy some brilliant easy jamming for 20m or so to some tricky final moves to gain comfy belay ledge.

4. 45m (17) Up and into tight but easy chimney. Step across ledge and into next corner/chimney feature. Up this with some effort to wide crack on right. Embrace your inner thrutcher and force your way up this until the very end where a few top out options present themselves. Belay on very comfy ledge. From this ledge scramble down a short corner to another large ledge. This is easy and a rope isn’t required but is recommended

5. 45m (10) Up shit scrubby crack to do battle with the tree and then trend left to some weird steep jugs in a crack feature and wander up to the top, all the while grinning at the true excellence of the route you have just completed.

The exit starts off straightforward but becomes tricky. Follow the initial path and essentially head towards the major corner of Caligula, doing some easy scrambling to get there. Once you spy Burston’s Crevasse you know it’s the correct way to go, so if your route doesn’t look right you’ve probably gone the wrong way.

The worthless route taken by the first attempt on what is now the classic climb;

Very runout first pitch to WAFTT. Up flaring fist crack for 10m then step left onto face and run out the rest of the pitch on the slabs. Very bold lead.

The obvious crack at the right-hand end of the wall. It starts as a hand crack and rapidly widens, getting to around 250mm width by the top.

The thin crack in the middle of the wall, which widens in the last meter. One carrot bolt just before the awkward topout.

The crack 4m left of Thanksgiving Crack, ending in a bush.

AID REDUCTION: Climbed with a rest only on the rope at grade 22M0 in 1979 by Rod Young (belayed by Mark Moorhead).

An impressive direct line, which is unfortunately prone to vegetation (last cleaned 5/1/22). Quality stars are very contingent on how dirty or clean the corner is (zero stars if filthy to 3 stars if it has seen recent heavy traffic and is in mint condition)

1. 27m 17. Typically very vegetated, can go left or right. Belay on pedestal in corner at 2 PR

2. 36m 21. Corner to DBB (bolt plates) . Finger to hand sized cams and wires, 4 old pitons and single thin carrot, all can be backed up or not necessary.

3. 33m (21) tricky moves past old carrot to sloping ledge (to join Hard Rain) then up steep crack. Direct finish to look out very dirty. Can escape left.

A terrific free climb with one single bit of aid doing a crack transfer to start the second pitch. Pitch lengths are approximate. Havin a few #1 camalots makes the route much more pleasant (HB suggests taking 6!).

Abseil access: To the right of bents lookout (looking out) there is a gumtree between you and the next lookout, sling this and fix a 70m rope there then slab across under bents lookout (climbers right) to three shiny ringbolts on the other side of the slab. Clove hitch the rope to one (or more) of these bolts so your partner can come across on a fixed line then rap down the redirected single line from the bolts. You'll get to the bolted (carrots) hanging belay at the end of pitch one. Leave the fixed line and rap from these bolts with your climbing rope to the start of pitch one leaving the anchor in place. Once you finish the climb, you can use the fixed line to get back across the slab to the gumtree.

1. ~40m (22, crux) Up the right facing, thin hands corner. This eases from vertical to slab as the corner arcs to the right and the crack thins. Hanging belay on two vintage carrot bolts.

2. ~30m (19) Lower from the belay and swing over to transfer to the mega-flake to your right. Climb this on perfect hands jams while ignoring the sound that it makes every time you slide a cam in. Continue through a couple of seams to a small stance near a tree.

3. ~20m (20) Up the crack to where it peters. Slab left past an antique bolt and hanger and into the next crack system. Belay approximately on the slab to the left before the crack goes vertical.

4. ~30m (21) The vertical crack. A burly move or two and then head hard left back to your clove hitched rap rope and eventually your starting gum tree. There is probably some other ways to finish this pitch directly up to the lookout but the convenience of cleaning up the rap rope on the way outweighed the value of a few more meters of vertical climbing for us.

If not too spent from Status Quo, head L and up through the crack in the roof rather than face the mossy corner or low angled slab.

The best way to do The Establishment. The direct start, and follow the dyke feature all the way up.

1. 30m (16): The Direct Start to the base of the corner.

2. 25m (20): Up corner to HBB.

3. 40m (22): Up corner, follow dyke to to passing bolt at crux steep section.

A stunning line, and quite smooth jamming (for Mt Buffalo). A couple of #3 Camalots, a #4 and even a #5, or equivalent sized cams, would be useful. The first pitch is 'the business' but the much easier (technically) second pitch is tight, awkward and virtually devoid of protection.

1. 24m. The crack to a ledge.

2. 24m. Squirm up the chimney, traverse left to the large chockstones.

3. 27m Up.

From the 2 carrot belay, traverse left (looking in) and down to good ledges before moving up past a carrot and onto the arete. Up the arete past a few more bolts and a few cam placements.

From the 2 carrot belay, follow the dramatic corner. When the difficulties ease, traverse left to follow cracks to the top.

up orange streak to crack and ledge.

line of bolts up black streak then heads up the arete.

Giant Offwidth/trench going straight up of the first belay of Caligula.

"Typhon was known as the “Father of All Monsters.” Birthed from Gaia (the earth) and Tartarus (the depths of hell), he was said to have been the most ferocious creature ever to roam the earth."

RED TAGGED removed and sent 2/4/18. Have at it!

OWSD. #bringthewide

Seriously awesome corner crack feature. Originally done in two pitches, these days it's usually done in one. Unless you like bumping gear, two #4 and a few #3 camalots are recommended.

To access, scramble down Burston’s gulley (or rap off a tree at the top with a 60m rope).

Up the dirty looking start to ledge, then into the corner. Follow the crack to roof, with memorable moves around right, then follow seam to tree belay.

Two FH and a BR. Some other trad placements available too.

This is a must-do. Beautiful sickled shape crack.

companion corner to Beowulf, but not as good, nor as well protected.

Probably harder than a 12!

Short crack in the middle of the face to the horizontal break, a few moves leads to a carrot on the upper slab.

Undercling R of WE, Joins WE at mid-waypoint.

Climbs the slab that is down and out a little from Beowulf. Up crack until it ends, clip old carrot, then some thin slabbing before finishing up easy crack in slab.

Rap in.

... but has a filthy mind. R of 'Time Passage'. Start up the fist crack to easy vegetated V groove, turn small overlap on the L side then following crack until possible to make a few easy slab moves L to join the top crack of 'Time Passage' to top. Rap into route.

Starts down right from Time Passage and takes the arete that is just right of that climb. Easiest approach is to scramble down to the top of the arete and abseil from the double bolt anchor. Climb up (BR), right to arete (BR), then up this (BR).

One of the best single pitches at Mt Buffalo. A 'must do'. Right of 'Dressed to Kill' and 'Winnie the Pooh'. Abseil 50m from the top of 'Iron Maiden'. Starts at a double bolt belay at the base of a closed corner. Stem up the corner, step L into another corner, continue stemming up this to a few problematic moves out onto the left shoulder of the corner. Continue up to a flake then the slabby blunt arete and the top part of Iron Maiden. 10 bolts plus the top bolt of Iron Maiden

Malcolm thinks that this might be the worst route name he has ever ascribed, and suggests that it deserves more traffic than the name suggests! The crack is a smooth split compared to most cracks at Buffalo (ie it's similar in texture to Lift Girls Lament).

First grade 24 in Australia.

A classy addition. Route name changed after it was pointed out that the original name "City Street" had already been used for a nearby route.

Follows the corner feature a few metres right of 'Country Road', through a rooflet to ledge, with some airy moves to finish.

P1) Climb as for Comeback Trail, then instead of traversing under the roof, head out left in the obvious finger crack to the ledge. Build belay in the vertical crack.

P2) up the steep mossy crack on the big flakes, then pull up into the Groove and top out. Harder than it looks, but cleaning some moss out might reveal some good holds in the crack.

FA unknown, but I highly doubt nobody has ever done it before.

Route goes totally free at 18/19. Easy laybacking to some tricky moves through the roof. Great climbing.

2 bolts, one near bottom then trad for most and another at the top, with some nice trad in between on an arcing orange yellow crack.

Variant start to Wicked Solitaire. Climb the arete past 3 bolts.

Wide crack/chimney R of WS. Rap in towards waterfall from WS rap point.

Up chimney, move Across into corner then up crack to belay on ledge. Scramble up L to top.

Rap in from tree a few metres to the right of LGL to belay off medium cams or just sit in tree.

Up not too steep hand / fist crack back to the top. No much of a warmup for LGL but might get some blood going and test your tape job if using it ....