West Buttress of the South Peak  Easy 5th

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Type:  Trad, Alpine, 12 pitches, 1100 feet, Grade III Consensus:  Easy 5th [details] FA:  G. Mumford, T. Ryan 1977 Season:  summer and fall Submitted By:  Dru on Mar 16, 2009 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (1) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

Evening light on the South Peak from camp at Daiph...

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Description 

Begin at the buttress toe, just south of the prominent west couloir. Climb several pitches just right of and on the crest of the buttress to a broad terrace. Cross the terrace and climb just on and left of the buttress crest for several more sustained pitches. As the buttress becomes more ledgy near the top, zigzag around following the easiest line to the summit, the climbing gradually eases off to scrambling. Outstandingly solid, grippy orange rock with many cracks and solid holds. A great route to simulclimb or solo; pitching it all out will take many hours.

Location 

From Daiphy Lake, hike up over talus in about an hour to the prominent buttress dropping from the right-hand summit.

On descent, trend southeast down ledges off the summit, skiiers' left side of the south ridge. As the ridge steepens, follow a ramp down to a short chimney that is a 4th class downclimb or can be rapped (25m) off fixed pins. At the base of the ridge, continue south over the first wooded bump before dropping west onto talus below the south face. Follow this talus back down to the lake.

Protection 

Light rack biased towards mid size nuts and finger to hand-sized cams. No fixed gear or fixed pins en route but there is a fixed pin rap anchor at the crux of the descent.

Photos of West Buttress of the South Peak Slideshow

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Kurt Fickeisen soloing up the opening pitch of the...

A Ropeless Tamara Slade Exiting a Corner on the We...