Trad climbing feels so different to sports climbing. Every move you make, every step up feels more connected to the rock. You are putting your own protection in as you go. Your mind clears as you focus on the one important thing, making each move carefully.

Frog Buttress is a world class crack climbing formation near Boonah, just an hour out of Brisbane. On my 3rd last day in the country, I went for a trip with Rob out for one final climb. We were likely the first of climbers of the season, and we went on a beautifully cool weekday. Spiders webs were everywhere, markings from animals all around the tracks, skree on the ground. It was undisturbed, and we were the only people there, probably the first for months. It was so peaceful.

We climbed some great lines before it got too hot - Shit Heap, Materialistic Prostitution and Electric Mud. It was a great way to say goodbye to Rob, and to see off the Australian bush.

We finished the day with the traditional trip to Flavours Cafe, wedges and sour cream in honour of our old mate Nathan (who was at work), ham and cheese toasted sandwich + thick thick thick thick double coffee thickshake for Rob, and the tangy chicken burger + iced latte for me. We had the last of our typical long great chats.

Frog has been a place of great development for me. I've met some great people there, who took the time out of their days to develop someone they'd never met before. It's not like other cliffs. There's no music, top roping, or waste. The climbers there are friendly, worldly people. There's no competition, just support. When I did my first trad lead (linked below), I had 6 or 7 people there watching and encouraging me, celebrating with me when I reached the top. It's a place where climbers are at one with their environment and themselves. It's where I led my first trad climb, where I climbed outdoors for the first time, and a place, when I'm sitting at the anchor on top of Materialistic with my friends, looking out from the best ledge at Frog, I'm at peace. [A]

The welcome to Frog testpiece - Shit Heap (14). Beautiful moves on great rock, from thin hands up to fist jams and arm jams at the top.

The majestic Materialistic Prostitution (17). A beautiful splitter crack forms above an alcove down low, with a balancy start, sustained hand jamming up to a big jug, a great traverse to the right whilst hanging from your hands, into a big crack you… — The majestic Materialistic Prostitution (17). A beautiful splitter crack forms above an alcove down low, with a balancy start, sustained hand jamming up to a big jug, a great traverse to the right whilst hanging from your hands, into a big crack you can stand in. Climb the last big features to the top, with a great view out over the valley.

Horsedrawn Zepplin (16). Deceptively hard start, has broken quite a few ankles in its time. Balancy double crack start, before moving in to a tiny little cave, climb over the roof into a strenuous step into the crack on the right, continue up easy m… — Horsedrawn Zepplin (16). Deceptively hard start, has broken quite a few ankles in its time. Balancy double crack start, before moving in to a tiny little cave, climb over the roof into a strenuous step into the crack on the right, continue up easy moves from there to the top, with a brown tree anchor.

A climb I've never done, and for good reason. On the far far right, is an elegant line, with the thinest of cracks firing its way to the top. The trad testpiece, Whistling Kite (32), is one of the hardest trad climbs in Australia, and has only seen … — A climb I've never done, and for good reason. On the far far right, is an elegant line, with the thinest of cracks firing its way to the top. The trad testpiece, Whistling Kite (32), is one of the hardest trad climbs in Australia, and has only seen 8 or 9 ascents in history. Bold, sustained climbing, it is an epic sight to behold.

The hardest climb, not grade wise, but without a doubt, the hardest climb I've ever been on. Egotistical Pineapple (21), is a tour de force of hard climbing. It starts with a smear up an overhang, balancing and draining just to get onto the climb it… — The hardest climb, not grade wise, but without a doubt, the hardest climb I've ever been on. Egotistical Pineapple (21), is a tour de force of hard climbing. It starts with a smear up an overhang, balancing and draining just to get onto the climb itself. Tiny cracks and face holds get you into the first crux, a tiny finger crack that runs up a roof. As you get out of the roof, a difficult foot move to the right gets you past the too-small crack, and you resume up the finger crack. The final sting in the tail is the stretchy, reachy move for a big jug that just feels so far away, but when you finally grab it and pull onto the tiny ledge for the anchor, all the pain fades away.