Mother's Buttress

BETA PHOTO: Mother's Buttress.

Description 

The Mother's Buttress area was one of the first areas in the canyon to be developed, and with good reason. Excellent stone with continuous cracks, excellent solid face features, and steep unbroken rock make this area a true gem. The Mother's Buttress is broken into three main crags: Lower, Middle, and Upper Mother's Buttresses. A smaller crag, the Cave Buttress, is also accessed from the same approach, simply walk up and right once you reach the cliff.

Lower Mother's contains a great collection of single pitch cracks from 5.7 to 5.10, and is often a popular area for groups to set up top-ropes. The alcove on Middle Mother's contains the best collection of single pitch 5.11s in the canyon, with a few harder, and longer lines thrown in. Upper Mother's is home to a few classics including Questions and Answers, the undisputed classic multi-pitch in the canyon.

The majority of climbing on Mother's Buttress is on property that is currently owned by local climbers, but will soon be held by a climbing non-profit: the Western Colorado Climbers Coalition. Due to the way the property lines were drawn some climbs on the right side of Lower Mother's and all those on Cave Buttress are owned by another, and this parcel is currently for sale. Stay tuned for more developments.

Getting There 

Drive 3.1 miles along CO-141 past the turn for divide road to a small pull out on the right side of the road.

There is a new trail that avoids private land that starts just left of the old trail. If you get the right trail you don't need to jump the fence, it is cut down between two of the posts.

The Classics

Featured Route For Mother's Buttress

Jagged Edge 5.11-  CO : Grand Junction : ... : Middle Mother's

Start on top of a block ledge you may want to protect the first move before the first bolt with a small nut or black Alien. Pass some bolts and do a this move until you plug in some gear and climb some more bolts. Bring gear for anchor for atop the ledge. One rope rap for the far side of the ledge from two bolts to the ground....[more]   Browse More Classics in CO