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Southwest Buttress - 5.10b

Average Rating = 4.00/5 Average Rating : 4.00 out of 5
Route sequence (left to right): 0
Route Summary | Ascent Notes (1)
Premier Sponsor:
John & Mike Waters
Rock
G
6
set of nuts, 8 cams, 6 pitons
1200
Consensus Ratings
  Difficulty 5.10a
  Safety Rating G
  Exposure 4.00/5
  Rock Quality 5.00/5
  Scenery 4.00/5
  Fun Factor 4.00/5

Description:

5.10 or 5.9, A1` 350m (ll) The route starts at the base of the western most buttress on the south face. It climbs beautiful cracks, faces and corners and finishes up the impressive huge white scar at the summit ridge . The white scar is easily visible from the base of the south face. The start is marked by a small rock cairn at the base of a bushy gully. Scramble 15m up this gully to the first belay. P1, 5.8 Climb two parallel cracks (1m apart) for about 10m and then move left towards a ridge crest. Climb up the awesome cracks and chicken head face to the belay at a right facing block with a small roof. P2, 5.7 Climb right past the small blocky roof and continue straight up trending slightly left near the top. Belay at the large ledge with yellow cedar bushes. P3, 5.8 Climb up 10m and then traverse right 10m past cedar bushes to a beautiful right facing corner crack with chicken heads. Climb the corner crack (fist to hand sized) by laybacking or jamming to a good belay off a small horn/pinnacle. The belay is at the start of a brown basalt sill. P1, 5.8 Climb two parallel cracks (1m apart) for about 10m and then move left towards a ridge crest. Climb up the awesome cracks and chicken head face to the belay at a right facing block with a small roof. P2, 5.7 Climb right past the small blocky roof and continue straight up trending slightly left near the top. Belay at the large ledge with yellow cedar bushes. P3, 5.8 Climb up 10m and then traverse right 10m past cedar bushes to a beautiful right facing corner crack with chicken heads. Climb the corner crack (fist to hand sized) by laybacking or jamming to a good belay off a small horn/pinnacle. The belay is at the start of a brown basalt sill. P4, 5.7. Traverse right along the brown basalt sill for 7m and climb the impressive crack above. Climb the crack up to the base of the huge white scar. Continue up the scar for 15m to an OK ledge and good belay. P5, 5.7 Climb up the scar over easy blocky ground past several brown sills. Traverse 8m along the upper sill and climb crack to the base of the impressive white open book. Belay at base of open book. P6, 5.10 or 5.9, A1 Climb the awesome open book past small hanging block (at 5 me). Trend left (past the now fixed pin!) at half way to a finger crack on the smooth face. Continue up the steep finger crack to the top. Awesome pitch with exposed climbing. Belay at huge ledge atop the cracks. P7, low 5th Continue up the white scar for 20 m and then swing left into easy gully. Continue scrambling up the easy gully (4th class) to the ridge crest and the summit of the west buttress. Swing west and walk around to the north face of the west summit. Walk along the north glacier and climb up the easy rocky ridge to the main summit of Tom Taylor. Easily walk off the summit (low 5th) to the east col. FA: Mike & John Waters July 10, 2003

Submitted by: giza on 2006-02-14
Views: 1532
Route ID: 74330

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Ratings
  Difficulty 5.10a
  Safety Rating G
  Exposure
  Rock Quality
  Scenery
  Fun Factor
Onsight Onsight ascent by: clc on 2003-07-10 (View Climbing Log)

4 out of 5 stars first ascent

I wrote the above route description

Added: 2008-04-26