This is the prow that Desert Shield climbs. The standard descent is to rappel Desert Shield.
Getting There
Past big bend on the Zion Canyon road. This buttress is on the right side of the road just before Leaning Wall. The only thing separating it from Leaning Wall is a large broken area with an arch that the Spaceshot rappels go down.
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Desert Shield Buttress:
This is an amazing route, combining both excellent free climbing and moderate clean aid on an amazing headwall. This is an excellent step up from the standard Zion trade routes but is really not that serious.The anchors are all bolted and it is typical to rap the route to descend. I have read that it is wise to fix a rope between the 6th and 4th pitch anchors for retreat (which we did not do). You can do this rap with 60 meter ropes and land on a...[more]Browse More Classics in UT
I did this route several years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. The free climbing is nice and the aid is great. It requires a wide range of gear for the free climbing and I used a triple set of brass offsets on the thin clean aid, primarily the larger ones. We used TCUS, Aliens, etc. This is a heads-up route but is enjoyable for experienced parties. The "death blocks" can be avoided by staying to the right but it is awkward to traverse in from the left. We had no trouble rapping the route without fixing a retreat rope. Just make certain that you back up your belay with an autoblock or such as you swing over to the anchors below the headwall.
I did this route in 07,great free and aid mixture. Three sets of brass up to #6, plus normal Zion clean rack w/ hooks,and many screamers. If taking a porta-ledge pop it between two headwall pitches,"stellar", then leave it and the pig there(traffic permitting),then retrieve as rappelling. There is a good bivi ledge,not pictured, to the right of route ,behind a flake, with a spinner bolt for porta-ledge(right of third belay or just after chimney),this flake/bivi was where we were able to rappel to from the sixth belay anchor ONLY WITH 65 METER ROPES, BARELY!!!,but it definitely eliminates leaving retreat line. Considering, two "tuff" people can bivi at flake with minimal comfort w/o porta-ledge,and a summit bivi, this route could be done without porta-ledge with decent bivy options. Please pack out if using flake bivi. Enjoy!
Print a Mini-Guide - Includes Routes!
RSS Feed
