<guide version="3">
<header access="" acknowledgement="" history="" intro="The short, steep gully south of University Buttress is known as Fool's Couloir, which from the top of the Pipes is sometimes mistaken for as the descent route down Avalanche Couloir. Broken Buttress is a relatively low buttress bordering the south side of Fool's Couloir. It culminates in a gendarmed ridge and has a spur running southeast. If a descent of Fool's Couloir is made, a tape abseil is required to reach the bottom." name="Broken Buttress" rock="Broken dolerite buttresses" sun="Not much sun" walk="20 min" id="1"/><image src="BrokenButtressPrint.jpg" width="800" id="2" legend="true" legendTitle="Broken Buttress" legendx="20" legendy="20">null<legend>4</legend><legend>5</legend><legend>6</legend></image><text id="16" class="heading3">Fool's Couloir</text><text id="17">To get to routes starting near the base of Fool's Couloir, continue along from the far LH end of University Buttress.</text>
<climb extra="" grade="16" length="45m" name="Crestline" number="" stars="" id="3" fa="U. Aurelli, D. Cox, P. Sands, Nov 1961. FFA: P. Robinson, R. Mansfield, Sep 1980.">Follows the nose a metre L of the base of Fool's Couloir, starting at a dirty groove that splits at 12m. Up the groove taking the LH line. The unctuous crux at 15m was originally climbed with a point of aid. Continue up to a platform and either traverse off to the R into Fool's Couloir, or continue up several easy pitches among the spires on the skyline ridge.</climb>
<climb extra="" grade="19" length="30m" name="Start Me Up" stars="" id="4" fa="N. Deka, S. Bunton, Nov 1987." number="SM">Press the go button. Start 5m L of Crestline, at the lower pillar at the RH end of Broken Buttress. Climb a finger/hand crack to the horizontal weakness halfway up the pillar. Move insecurely R, and follow the arête just L of the Crestline groove to the top. Abseil off or continue as for Crestline.</climb>
<climb extra="↓" grade="23" length="20m" name="Assault Course" number="AC" stars="*" id="5" fa="N. Deka, S. Bunton, Nov 1987.">A strenuous excursion that awaits a direct finish (now taken by Seamstress). From Start Me Up, scramble up the gully 5m L to the base of the imposing orange wall capped by a huge block. Start at a hand crack on the RH side of the smooth wall. Climb the hand crack for 10m, step L to gain a finger crack, and follow this until forced R to a large ledge. Abseil off.</climb>
<climb extra="Þ ↓" grade="25" length="25m" name=" Seamstress" number="SM" stars="**" id="6" fa="S. Edwards, Nov 1995.">Lovely climbing on the high orange wall L of Assault Course. The crux is near the top. Mostly on bolts, but also requires some natural gear (#0 and #2.5 Friends, or equivalent).</climb>
<climb extra="" grade="16" length="48m" name="Spurline" number="" stars="" id="7" fa="R. Alsop, M. Douglas, A. Keller, Mar 1968. Direct Finish: R. Mansfield, P. Robinson, Sep 1980.">The southeast spur of Broken Buttress. Seen from the Organ Pipes track, it is the notched skyline spur. Start at the top of the first step on the spur.
1. 30m. Climb to the base of the crack which forms a direct line up the spur. Up this and a short crack on the R to a large platform.
2. 18m. Two options: (a) Original Route: Up a short chimney, exit R and climb the LH of two cracks; (b) Direct Finish: Follow a short jam crack to a large ledge, then climb the RH crack. Either continue up the ridge, or traverse off R. </climb>
<text class="heading3" id="8">Upper Fool's Couloir</text>
<text class="text" id="9">A number of routes have been climbed near the top of Fool's Couloir and are best accessed from the summit. The easiest way to the top of the Couloir is to walk down the northern fence-line of the enclosure surrounding the communications tower, then head in the same line for 5 minutes down the hill, passing a couple of obvious cairns to a large cairn and rap station above a collection of small, steep buttresses marking the top of the SW branch of the couloir (GPS: MTW190). There is quite a lot of rock here awaiting ascents.
</text><text id="25">Immediately below the cairned anchors is an area of 5-10 meter blocks.</text><climb id="26" stars="*" name="Insecurity" length="8m" grade="23" extra="3Þ ↓" fa="D. Humphries, J. Nermut Jan 2010">The right-hand arete. Stick clip the first bolt. Bouldery smears lead to a jug and slabby top-out.</climb><text id="24">The following routes are located on the gendarmed ridge on the south west (R) side of the Couloir. From the top of the rap station, traverse south (R) until it is possible to scramble down into the main couloir. The first routes are on the N side of the top collection of gendarmes</text><climb id="18" name="Project">Crack on first pillar on R.</climb><climb id="19" name="Anna's Climb" length="14m" grade="17" fa="A. Brooks, A. Beech, T. McKenny , Jan 2011">Takes second clear crack line on L end of gendarmes - description to be entered</climb><text id="20">The next climb is on the tallest, single gendarme, down the gully a little further. </text>
<climb extra="" grade="19" length="25m" name="Rick the Redneck" number="" stars="*" id="10" fa="Pete Steane, A. Adams, Nov 1992.">The NE face of the highest gendarme is split by a fist crack. Follow this for 4m up to a bulge on the R wall. Step R below the bulge and climb the more appealing line 1m to the R. Follow the line to the top finishing L. Hard for the grade.</climb>
<climb extra="" grade="12" length="15m" name="Brand New Lies" number="" stars="" id="11" fa="Pete Steane, A. Adams, Nov 1992.">Found on the next gendarme downhill from Rick the Redneck. Step off the boulder and climb the hand crack on the NW face. Follow the crack to the top. Rap off via the chockstone. Looks hard for the grade.</climb>
<climb extra="" grade="19" length="20m" name="Tired Clichés" number="" stars="**" id="12" fa="A. Adams, Pete Steane, Nov 1992. Alt finish: K. Robinson, P. Robinson, Jan 2010.">This is on the SW face of Brand New Lies gendarme. Climb the layback crack and finish up L or alternatively follow the wide crack trending R to a tricky traverse R across the wall then straight up. Sustained.</climb><text id="21">From the rap station at the top of the gully, the "dark side" on the L can be accessed by traversing north and then scrambling down till it is possible to descend to the gully floor. The next climb is located a few metres to the L, as you face the crag, of a very obvious horizontal pillar (visible from the rap station at the top) that juts out into the gully, directly opposite the Rick the Redneck gendarme.</text><climb id="22" name="Fools Gold" length="12m" grade="18" fa="T. McKenny, I. Snape, Jan 2011">The continuous crack line, capped with a jammed block at the top. A difficult start leads to good climbing, finishing out over the roof.</climb>
<text class="heading3" id="13">Van Diemen Buttress
</text>
<text class="text" id="14">A narrow, sloping buttress well to the south.
</text>
<climb extra="" grade="11" length="" name="Van Diemen Buttress" number="" stars="" id="15" fa="Various stages due to J. Elliott, M. Elphick, P. Hewitt, B. Higgins, P. Johnstone, J. Manning, 1959.">One of the earliest routes on the Pipes, generally following the crest of the buttress. Climb the crest for two pitches until blocked by a short tower which is split by a crack on the R. Either climb this direct, or veer to the L before rejoining the crest via a short cleft. After another pitch along the crest, a further gendarme blocks the way. Climb halfway to the top, then either ascend the gendarme direct, or traverse around to the R to a ledge. Continue either straight up the wall above, or via the crack on the R.</climb>
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