back at boyce

I've gotta say that I've really been enjoying Mt Boyce lately, as shown by heading up there again yesterday! I caught up with Liam & Angela again and drove up with some multipitch trad in mind and there was no complaints from me when we decided on 'Wild is the Wind' (15**) near Solo Gully at Mt Boyce. Apart from a short climb near the top a while ago, I've never really explored this area and from where we based ourselves, at 'Walk-down Gully' (how do they come up with these names...), I was impressed! The whole area has very featured climbs going up everywhere with a nice spread of grades, mainly trad. I like.

We wandered around the base and started up the first pitch of WW, a hairy traverse, then easily up to a nice belay. You can see we were using Liam's double ropes, a first for me - handy but kinda cluster-fucky. Then it was my turn to lead up pitch 2 which went quite nicely with a fun, cranky start then a traverse into a little wall climbing with a fair few bolts leading to the greatest belay ledge ever! We should have brought lunch! Great views and very spacious...

Liam then prepares to step out into nothing-ness for the start of pitch 3, a few very cool moves here!

and up!

Angela contemplates... and swings out!

After lunch, Angela jumped on 'Gently Mine' (14**), a lovely flake/crack with fun moves the whole way. Unfortunately I don't have pics as I was on belay duty but hopefully I'll get some emailed to me soon... After I cleaned, we rapped off and Liam led the spectacular 'Gates of Janus' (16**), an awesome corner crack just a few meters to the right...

After that we began the near vertical bash out of the gully back to the car - another great day in the mountains!