Diak Ka Lae Buttress. Bullant Leap is the main slab in the centre, with WMUBYGG following the grey slabby rock (skirting diagonally left from the yellow/orange rock near the top of the slab) to the large tree at the top of the slab part.
Diak Ka Lae Buttress. Bullant Leap is the main slab in the centre, with WMUBYGG following the grey slabby rock (skirting diagonally left from the yellow/orange rock near the top of the slab) to the large tree at the top of the slab part.
There is one obvious cracked, slabby face about 30 metres high and finishing in a blocky overhang. This is Bullant Leap and is a perfect beginners crag - a place where people could learn to toprope, second or lead. It gets noticeably cooler after about noon when there is a bit more shade. You can do multiple climbs ending at the obvious tree about 28 metres above the ground (watch out if you have a 50 metre rope!).
Bullant Leap. WMUBYGG is to the right of the light grey stuff, left of the great mass of hanging, dead-looking creeper. The Tradasaurus belay is just above the nose which breaks the skyline a third from the top of the picture.
Some misguided types - probably the army of some country or other - have vandalised the place by leaving fixed pitons in bizarre locations over the slab (eg 1.5m above the ground) and, worse, even spray-painted a big "P" under the belay tree. If you meet them, try to introduce them to modern climbing equipment and ethics.
Tradasaurus, 20m, 12 (Jim Rock and Peter Ellis, February 2005).
Up the obvious corner at the left end of the slab, following it to the left onto the main buttress when the corner turns left on arrival at the roof. Belay off fixed pitons, but back up with natural gear. Used to have a lot of loose rock but has cleaned up now it has had half a dozen repeats - but still watch out for the very hollow sounding flake and any other loose bits.
Immediately left of Tradasaurus is climb that goes up a delicate slab and then joins the arrete, to finish at the Tradasaurus belay. So far this has just been top-roped - it is leadable at about grade 15.
Move On, 20m, 13 (Peter Ellis and Andrew Patching, ?? 2005).
Further left again is a nasty overhanging off-width which is easier than it looks but hasn't been led yet, will go at about grade 14 or 15. Move On awaits this direct start, but currently avoids it to the left and goes straight up (to the left of the bluge near the top) to the Tradasaurus belay. It has a bit of a sting in the tail, and heads leftwards before a hand traverse to the right just below the final lip.
There is a potential second pitch from the Tradasaurus belay, up the steepening, cracked wall until it becomes overhanging twin railway cracks and then a single vicious overhang crack. Might go at about grade 25 if the right person ever comes to Timor to climb it.
(unnamed), 35m, 21? (?) Up WMUBYGG but turn right earlier than seems sensible and then up through the forbidding orange overhang.
(unnamed), 35m, 14? (?) Up WMUBYGG and then the easiest way through the rightwards break up the overhang to the very top. Could be considered a second pitch or a direct finish to WMUBYGG but very different in character. To descend, walk off the back.
Wake Me Up Before You Go Go (WMUBYGG), 28m, 9 (FRA Peter Ellis, Jim Rock February 2005)
Start at the right end of Bullant Leap, just under and to the right of a fixed piton, and head up the superb, well-protected rock following the line of least resistance up the slabs and cracks, trending left near the top just before you get to the overhang. Belay (and abseil from) from the obvious tree. If you abseil off it, consider leaving some webbing behind rather than ringbarking the poor tree, we'll miss it when it's gone.
They Won't Go When I Go, 8 (FRA Jim Rock, Peter Ellis February 2005)
The title refers to the ants. Start two metres left of WMUBYGG at the broken home-made stone plaque to some unknown regiment, up as you will.
Jitterbug, 11 (FRA Peter Ellis, Jim Rock February 2005).
Another four metres left, meaning you head up to the left of the prominent tree in the middle of the cliff. A few interesting moves near the beginning quickly relent about 5 metres before some moron hammered two pitons into the cracks next to the tree. The bull ants at the height of the tree give the slab its name and made the first recorded ascent a horrific, raced, jumped and sworn-at affair.
Just left of Jitterbug there is a leftwards leaning crack which should be climbed, and also space for at least one more low grade slab/face climb - but watch out for the ants. Further left again there is an interesting looking corner that needs some work with a crowbar to get rid of the loose rock before it is safe to climb.
There might be several easy (grade 12-14) routes from the top tree belay to the very top of the crag if you want to walk off. But watch out for loose blocks and rocks.
Scramble further and downclimb a bit as you follow the cliff line and you get to:
Look At Your Hands, 25m, 12, (Peter Ellis, Jim Rock September 2005)
The line of least resistance straight up from just left of the batcave. Bridge up through where the runnels are wide enough to resemble a chimney. Belay at a big loose block (use gear for your anchor) with a view towards the Alcove and a cactus to sit on. Two ropes recommended - this was a scary bottom-up lead. On the way up, don't go too far to the left or you end up on the easy second half of:
Round Here, 25m, 11/6 (Peter Ellis, Andrew Patching, Kay Fisher)
Up the whitish corner for 3 metres with some interesting moves, and then a simple scramble to the Look At Your Hands belay.
Between Look At Your Hands and Round Here there is a thin, dark diagonal incipient crack which can be climbed, followed by powering through the overhangs above - a bit contrived but might just deserve a name of its own. So far only top roped, will be about 15 or 16 with the start the only bit worthy of the grade.