<guide version="3">
<header access="Flange Buttress is accessed from the climbers' carpark. Walk left along the Organ Pipes Track for approximately 150m, arriving at a climbers' track junction heading to the right (GPS MTW030). The track heads up initially through bush, then follows a prominant boulder lead to reenter the bush close to the base of the cliff near Bert's Fear, an obvious body-width chimney. The track forks left and right from here.<br/><br/>Taking the fork down hill to the left provides access to routes between Nefarious and Bert's Fear. To access routes from Bert's Fear to Brown Madonna follow the track uphill to the right.<br/><br/>With the exception of Pooch Gully and Bert's Fear, all routes are between 20m and 60m in length. Many of the routes finish on the big ledge at the top of Brown Madonna.<br/><br/>To descend climbs in this area, there are rap anchors on Nefarious (25m), Just a Little Bit Longer (30m from rap-slings), Chop Sticks the Sequel (35m), Neon God (2x 25m), After Midnight (50m) and Brown Madonna (50m).<br/><br/>Bert's Fear is the only route on this buttress that continues to the top of the Pipes. Descent from the top of Bert's Fear (GPS MTW170), requires three abseils (1x 15m; 1x 35m 1x 50m)." acknowledgement="" history="" intro="Flange Buttress is the compact reddish buttress situated between Central Buttress and the Columns. Pooch Gully flags the LH end of Flange Buttress, while the deep chimney of Brown Madonna marks the RH end where it merges with the Columns.<br/><br/>Flange Buttress is a popular crag with a large number good quality sport and trad routes. It is often warmer here than other parts of the Pipes particularly on cool and wintry days. Abseil access off the crag is straight forward.<br/><br/>" name="Flange Buttress" rock="Dolerite faces and aretes, up to 60m. Quite a few sport routes." sun="Morning sun" walk="20 min uphill" id="1" camping="" autonumber="true"/>
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<climb extra="↓" grade="8" length="100m" name="Pooch Gully" number="1." stars="" id="25" fa="P. Sands, J. Spinks, Mar 1962 (assisted by a Golden Labrador in the lower stages).">Nice in December when the waratah are in flower. Follow the vegetated gully on the LH end of Flange Buttress all the way to the rap anchors at the top of Brown Madonna. The line can be varied at will.</climb>
<climb extra="3Þ ↓" grade="24" length="20m" name="Drama Queen" number="2." stars="" id="24" fa="S. Edwards, Jan 1997.">Straight up the nose of the minor buttress 10m L of Nefarious. A crack (natural gear) leads to 3 bolts up the arête.</climb>
<climb extra="Þ ↓" grade="22" length="25m" name=" Nefarious" number="3." stars="**" id="23" fa="R. Parkyn, Jan 1996.">A quality route for the sport-heads. The arête and face between Pooch Gully and Slippery Sensation. The crux is towards the top (some of the bolts after this are not visible from below).</climb>
<climb extra="↓" grade="21" length="25m" name="Slippery Sensation" number="4." stars="**" id="22" fa="S. Parsons, K. Bischoff, A. Wing, Apr 1981.">Provides a guaranteed workout. Around the arête L of Just a Little Bit Longer is a thin crack line splitting the steep south facing wall. Climb the RH crack for 7m, move into the LH one, and continue up into a scoop. Finger jam through the bulge and continue to just below a bush. Traverse L and around the arête to belay at the rap station at the top of Nefarious (25m rap).</climb>
<climb extra="↓" grade="20" length="30m" name="Slipper" stars="**" id="21" fa="K. Robinson, P. Robinson, Jan 1998." number="5.">Start as for Slippery Sensation. Climb the RH crack for 7m and instead of traversing L into the LH crack, go straight up the wall. Near the top traverse toward the bush on the L. Descend by abseil from tree.</climb>
<climb extra="" grade="21" length="15m" name="Ring of Fire" number="6." stars="*" id="20" fa="M. Jackson, H. Jackson, Mar 1998.">Balancy test piece roughly following the arête (on its L face) between Just a Little Bit Longer and Slippery Sensation. A bombproof #3 RP in a groove on the arête protects the crux on an otherwise run-out climb. Continue up Just a Little Bit Longer after the spike on the arête is reached. Descend by abseil from rap slings on the LH of two trees.</climb>
<climb extra="" grade="19" length="30m" name="Just A Little Bit Longer" number="7." stars="**" id="19" fa="S. Parsons, K. Bischoff, Apr 1981.">Thought provoking face climbing on previously loose terrain. The face route 5m L of Bert's Fear and immediately R of the arête. Climb the thin line for 6m, trend slightly L and head for a spike on the arête (crux). Adequate gear placements can now be found where loose blocks have been removed and excellent RP's requiring thought to place are available the closer you get to the spike. Continue up on the other side of the arête for 2m, then move back R and follow the corner and face above to rap slings on the LH of two trees.</climb>
<climb extra="" grade="20" length="30m" name="Spitters" number="8." stars="*" id="18" fa="D. Fife, S. Parsons, et al. Nov 1982.">A serious undertaking. The scary wall between Bert's Fear and Just a Little Bit Longer. Climb diagonally L on dubious face holds to a flake in the middle of the wall (marginal pro). Move up to a small roof, pull around this into a groove, and then hard moves lead to a corner crack. Continue up wall to belay as for Just a Little Bit Longer. Abseil from tree.</climb>
<climb extra="↓" grade="12/16" length="125m" name="Bert's Fear" number="9." stars="*" id="17" fa="U. Aurelli, D. Cox, J. Fairhall, Mar 1962. On Bended Knees finish: P. Robinson, T. McKenny, Feb 2012.">Body chimneys are not everybody's cup of tea, or are they? The distinct chimney 10m R of the lowest point of Flange Buttress makes for an interesting day out. <br/>1. 25m. Climb the body-width chimney to belay on at a stance with threaded slings. <br/>2. 25m. Climb the even narrower chimney on the LH side of the buttress above to access the crest of the ridge. <br/>3. 30m. Follow the broken buttress to a tree and up the steeper wall above to the Brown Madonna terrace (with rap station at far RH end). <br/>4a. 45m. Original finish. Climb L and up the broken slabs and corner until one can move back right into a corner-chimney line. Follow this (past two U bolts) over enormous jammed flakes to two more U bolts on a leaning boulder 15m higher up. Descent: rap station at top (GPS MTW170) 15m to U bolts, 35m to Brown Madonna terrace; 50m to ground.<br/>4b. 45m 16. On Bended Knees variant. Climb L and up the broken slabs and corner, as for Bert’s Fear, to a hand crack splitting the steepening wall. Jam the hand crack, then traverse L, climb the finger crack just R of the nose to negotiate some piled blocks to reach a large ledge. Traverse up and R for 3m across the chimney to two U bolts beckoning an abseil or, for the true direttissimo, climb through the bush and over more blocks for 10m to the top of the column. Reverse back down to the bolts to abseil.</climb>
<climb extra="↓" grade="20" length="40m" name="Precarious" number="10." stars="***" id="15" fa="A. Keller, M. Tillema, 1969. FFA: I. Baker, D. Bowman, Feb 1979.">Persistence always pays off and this route is no exception. Start 7m R of Bert's Fear at a shallow corner. <br/>1. 30m. Crux. Climb the corner past an awkward move to a ledge. Step R, organise your "pro" and climb up negotiating small slab to the next ledge. <br/>Abseil off here.<br/>2. 10m. Or climb back L and up the short corner to an abseil point further up.</climb>
<climb id="28" stars="*" extra="Þ ↓" number="11." name="Alex's Thing" length="50m" grade="22" fa="Credited to A. Wilson, Mar 2004.">An unintentional ethical faux pas. The route provides an alternative 2nd pitch to the old classic. Originally a project of the credited first ascentionist, until his red tag went astray. It received two ascents by the unsuspecting N. Hancock and A. Williams. <br/>1. 30m. Climb the first pitch of Precarious to the belay. <br/>2. 20m. Crux. Start on the LH face of the arête for a few moves then trend L following a line of fixed hangers to the "Fiddlesticks" ledge. Ether abseil off the DBB at the top of the pillar at the RH end of the ledge, as for Chopsticks, or continue up Fiddlesticks to Brown Madonna rap station.</climb>
<climb extra="Þ ↓" grade="25" length="35m" name="Chop Sticks The Sequel" number="12." stars="**" id="14" fa="A. Williams, D. Gray, May 2004. First 8m were climbed by H. & M. Jackson, Jan 2000 (as Chop Sticks 18). ">Start at the base of Fiddlesticks and climb the L arête. Straightforward climbing past a couple of small to mid-size cams and a bolt leads to the Precarious ledge, followed by excellent arête climbing on good rock (one of the bolts is around on the RH face but stay on the arête). Take a large wire or 0.5 Camalot for higher up. DBB on final pillar.</climb>
<climb extra="↓" grade="21 " length="30m" name="Stick To It " number="13." stars="" id="13" fa="D. Gray, May 2004.">Climb the first pitch of Fiddlesticks to about half height, just below small roof on the L wall. Traverse L, pull through roof, then follow thin cracks above.</climb>
<climb extra="↓" grade="14" length="55m" name="Fiddlesticks" number="14." stars="***" id="12" fa="T. Terry, G. Wyatt, 1967.">A classic, and being one of the relatively few quality easier climbs on the Pipes, it sees a lot of traffic. Good pro and a sunny aspect add to the attraction. Start 16m uphill and north of Bert's Fear, next to Neon God. Scramble up to the base of the corner containing twin cracks. <br/>1. 30m. Straight up the corner, belaying in the notch on the L. There is a rap station on top of the pillar at the RH end of the ledge, as for Chopsticks. <br/>2. 25m. Either climb the flakes on the wall and traverse R into the main crack line, or step directly into the line from near the belay. Follow the line until you either step around the arête to climb the LH wall or continue up the vee-groove to a large ledge. Very classy climbing. Rap off as for Brown Madona. Alternatively finish up On Bended Knees (45m) and descent as for Bert's Fear.</climb>
<climb extra="Þ ↓" grade="25" length="50m" name="Neon God" number="15." stars="***" id="10" fa="S. Edwards, Jan 1997.">Simply irresistible! Join the mob. <br/>1. 25m 22. The popular 1st pitch follows the straight line of U-bolts on the wall to the R of Fiddlesticks. <br/>2. 25m 25. The second pitch is better, but is climbed less. Continue up the line past a thin and technical crux at about one-third height. Rap anchors.</climb>
<climb id="27" stars="**" extra="Þ ↓" number="16." name="The Holy Road" length="25m" grade="23" fa="R. Parkyn, Jan 1997.">A less demanding RH alternative to the second pitch of Neon God. The crux is passing the second U-bolt.</climb>
<text id="29" class="text">Most of Neon God has now been climbed on trad gear, the Kundalini Flow (26), by Adam Donoghue, Feb, 2013. It may be a profound mystical experience for some but it will certainly be a test of ability and mental strength to complete the line on marginal gear while studiously ignoring the presence of 20 seductive and beckoning bolts. <br/>Climb up the initial crack of Big Sticks and Beatings for 5m then join 'the vague trad weakness up the Neon God wall, looking for gear.' The last 6 pieces are 2-3 RPs...... <br/> <br/></text>
<climb extra="↓" grade="21" length="40m" name="Big Sticks and Beatings" stars="**" id="9" fa="N. Deka, S. Bunton, 1989." number="17.">A sustained excursion up the wall R of Neon God. Climb the thin crack, moving R at 10m to pass the thinnest section. Continue up the shallow corner, then traverse R to Digitalis and belay on ledge. Finish up Digitalis to the Brown Madonna rap station.</climb>
<climb extra="↓" grade="20" length="40m" name="The Cuts" number="18." stars="**" id="8" fa="Face and Arête: D. Stevenson, J. Otlowski, 1996; Corner: H. & M. Jackson, Mar 1998.">A brilliant and intimidating line on the arête and face between Big Sticks and Beatings and Digitalis. Step L off the ledge at the start of Digitalis to head up face to arête at 15m. Continue up just R of arête via thin moves (crux), then run it out to the small ledge. Climb the corner above which merges with Digitalis (1/2 - 3/4 cam important) or alternatively traverse L along ledge, around arête to the bolt belay on Neon God.</climb>
<climb extra="↓" grade="18" length="62m" name="Digitalis" number="19." stars="**" id="7" fa=" J. Moore, R. Williams. FFA: D. Bowman, M. Steane, Dec 1977. Direct Finish: P. Robinson, C. Hewer, K. Robinson, Dec. 2011.">A distinctive line with with some fine crack moves. Start at the first crack system around the arête L of Brown Madonna. Take cams up to fist size.<br/>1. 26m. Climb the crack through a small overlap and continue past large detached flake to belay on a ledge at base of a corner. <br/>2a. 36m. Original route. Bridge and jam the corner for 26m. When a jug behind a small flake on the R wall is reached, traverse boldly out L across the wall to the exposed arête. Continue straight up, trend L and then up past large loose flake to belay. <br/>2b. 34m. Direct Finish. Instead of traversing L, continue up the line. A couple of metres above the original route traverse, a step L can be made onto the arête. Return to the corner and climb it to the top. The Brown Madonna rap station is 10m to the right.</climb>
<climb extra="Þ ↓" grade="24" length="50m" name="After Midnight" number="20." stars="***" id="6" fa="S. Edwards, Jan 1995.">A modern classic that is consistent quality all the way. Demonstrates what can be done with school holidays and a nickel-cadmium power-pack. The arête between Brown Madonna and Digitalis. Fifteen quick draws required en-route plus something to clip into the abseil anchors.</climb>
<climb extra="Þ ↓" grade="29 " length="50m " name="Pleasant Screams Direct " number="21." stars="***" id="5" fa="S. Parsons, Mar 2007.">This variant is a single mega pitch that follows the line (and bolts) to the top. Start on the face and climb to a 'rest' about 2 bolts below the hanging belay. Once 'recovered' follow the line of bolts to the top, staying on the face.</climb>
<climb extra="Þ ↓" grade="26" length="55m" name="Pleasant Screams" number="22." stars="***" id="4" fa="S. Edwards, Dec 1996.">Tasmania's 'To Bolt or Not To Be'. The face L of Brown Madonna. <br/>1. 20m 25. Start at the bottom of the face moving towards the R arête after 10 m and back L to a hanging belay. Worth working in its own right. <br/>2. 35m 26. Continue up the amazing face above past another 12 U's, at 2/3 height move R into Brown Madonna before returning to the line and up to the anchors. It may be worth wearing a helmet for the flakes on the first pitch.</climb>
<climb extra="↓" grade="19" length="49m" name="Brown Madonna" number="23." stars="***" id="3" fa="K. Carrigan, G. Child, Feb 1978.">"Brown Lady will you marry me?" quoth the Jake. An elegant route with all the qualities of consistency, length of pitch and fantastic pro. Above the daunting chimney is a sustained crack and corner system of gob-smacking brilliance. Climb the chimney to where it narrows before traversing out and up. Continue up the imposing crack line and blind corner to the large ledge and rap anchors.</climb>
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