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> Slack to W Buttress
West Buttress (pitch 1&2)
5.10a YDS 6a French 18 Ewbanks VI+ UIAA 18 ZA E1 5a British
Avg: 3.5 from 8 votes
Type: | Trad, 300 ft (91 m), 2 pitches |
FA: | Layton Kor, Steve Roper, 1963 |
Page Views: | 5,347 total · 36/month |
Shared By: | Bryan G on Dec 26, 2011 |
Admins: | Mike Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer Ski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes |
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Please visit climbingyosemite.com/ and nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/… for the latest information on visiting Yosemite, including permits, regulations, and closure information.
Yosemite National Park has yearly closures for Peregrine Falcon Protection March 1- July 15. Always check the NPS website at nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/… for the most current details and park alerts, and to learn more about the peregrine falcon, and how closures help it survive. This page also shares closures and warnings due to current fires, smoke, etc.
Yosemite National Park has yearly closures for Peregrine Falcon Protection March 1- July 15. Always check the NPS website at nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/… for the most current details and park alerts, and to learn more about the peregrine falcon, and how closures help it survive. This page also shares closures and warnings due to current fires, smoke, etc.
Description
So the West Buttress obviously isn't a "base route", but the first two pitches make for excellent cragging if you're in the area for Peter Pan.
There are a couple variations on the first pitch. There is a 5.6 start to the left which hand traverses a juggy diagonal crack up and right.
The 5.9 start is what we did, which starts at almost the same spot as Peter Pan. Climb straight up the flake which varies from fists to fingers. Feels sort of stiff for 5.9, I thought it was harder than the 10a second pitch. Either start you end at a bolted belay off to the right of the crack.
The second pitch is long and spectacular. Climb a low angle 4" crack to a wider crack below a roof. From below this looks impossible but there's some good face holds out left. Stepping over to these is the crux (10a). Then climb up the delecate flake a short ways and move left again to the furthest left crack. (Don't miss this traverse or you'll end up in harder and scarrier terrain). Hand-jam up the awesome crack/flake to the anchor.
From here, make two double-rope rappels to the ground.
I think from here the West Buttress route climbs up to some old bolts and then swings over into the seam to the left which is filled with fixed hardware and bushes. There's also a sweet looking crack going through a bulge over to the right. I'm not sure if there is an anchor above the bulge however.
There are a couple variations on the first pitch. There is a 5.6 start to the left which hand traverses a juggy diagonal crack up and right.
The 5.9 start is what we did, which starts at almost the same spot as Peter Pan. Climb straight up the flake which varies from fists to fingers. Feels sort of stiff for 5.9, I thought it was harder than the 10a second pitch. Either start you end at a bolted belay off to the right of the crack.
The second pitch is long and spectacular. Climb a low angle 4" crack to a wider crack below a roof. From below this looks impossible but there's some good face holds out left. Stepping over to these is the crux (10a). Then climb up the delecate flake a short ways and move left again to the furthest left crack. (Don't miss this traverse or you'll end up in harder and scarrier terrain). Hand-jam up the awesome crack/flake to the anchor.
From here, make two double-rope rappels to the ground.
I think from here the West Buttress route climbs up to some old bolts and then swings over into the seam to the left which is filled with fixed hardware and bushes. There's also a sweet looking crack going through a bulge over to the right. I'm not sure if there is an anchor above the bulge however.
Photos
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