Richard Thomson, with Richard Turner and Dave Vass, returned to Turner’s Eyrie in the Central Darrans in late March and April, this tim e starting at Moraine Creek and climbing a steep and slimy fissure to reach Rainbow Lake, the Te Puoho Glacier and the north shoulder of Karetai. Due to the lateness of the season, travelling conditions were just a little less grippy than usual, and required constant vigilance. The lichens seemed to have happily absorbed plenty of moisture from the heavy snowfall earlier in March, while verglass and light snow added to the excitement at higher altitudes. After a couple of days of rain, spent making further home improvem ents to the bivvy, they em erged to climb a new route on the East Face of Karetai, nine pitches, crux grade 22, the last three pitches were clim bed in the full m oon light. Deciding that there is not nearly enough macho posturing in that part of the world, they tentatively called the route the Studly Buttress. The route out was down the Cleft into Cleft Creek – surely one of the m ost beautiful alpine valleys in New Zealand – where the keas were extrem ely displeased to be kicked out of their rock bivvy for a night. The next night, they located and admired the stonemasonry of the authentic Gill-H oughton bivvy rock (see the book Mountain Midsumm er). The trip ended in fine style, with a bracing swim across the H ollyford River. Richard Thomson FROG BUTTRESS Former Wellington section member Mike O’Brien is currently on an indefinite climbing trip around Australia in a very unreliable campervan. Lured by promise of fam e and fortune, he has agreed to send in the odd report in the crags he visits. When not climbing he enjoys sitting on the beach, waiting for his cam pervan to start. When he’s lucky this can take weeks….. Mike heard a few section m em bers were planning a trip to Frog Buttress and provided m e with this report: The smooth soaring cracks of Frog Buttress offer wonderful user friendly clim bing, and make Frog the place to learn the art of jamming. Climbing with the warm winter sun on your back is the perfect way to escape the Wellington winter. Although you’ll find the first few days frustrating, you’ll be sad to leave by the end of your stay! Location: Queensland, one hours drive inland from Brisbane. Frog Buttress is located on Mt French, abov e Boonah, a tiny rural town (and not far from Pauline Hanson’s stom ping ground). From Boonah, a 15 minute drive up the hill will see you at the camp/car park, conveniently located on top of the crag. The climbs are a 5 m inute stroll from here. Climbing: Trad routes up to 45m long, with rap stations scattered along the top of the crag. Bring a full trad rack, with a double set of cams if possible. Double ropes are useful. There are a few hard and poorly bolted sport routes. Over 400 routes in total. Grades: 9 – 31. Best in the 18 – 23 range. Avoid climb under 15, as they invariably involve cracks too wide to protect, grovely chimneys, ledges that will cripple you if you fall, and occasionally all of the above. Season: Between April and September Accommodation: You can cam p above the crag (see the dreadful Queensland Park Service website below – good luck! And remember its Mt French, not Frog Buttress!). Otherwise stay in one of the four pubs in Boonah. Services: Ev erything but climbing gear is available in Boonah… Guidebook: Before leaving NZ go to the Qurank website and spend time printing ‘Andy’s Cheap and Nasty Guide’ in A3 format. It’s great. Don’t waste m oney on Scott Camps ‘Frog Buttress’, 1989, A Wild Publications, Melbourne. References: www.qurank.com is a great website with an active forum , where y ou can get the answer to any climbing/Frog Buttress related question. Also download Andy’s guide from here. www.epa.qld.goc.au for camping info. And Rem ember: You’ll learn to jam better if you don’t tape up, and, resist the urge to kill the friendly possum s! They’re protected here! Mike O’Brien