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Trojan Bunny Buttress

Colorado > Lyons > St Vrain Canyons > S Fork of St Vrain Ca…
Warning Access Issue: MM 23-29.5 - now ended daily CO 7 highway closure/delays DetailsDrop down

Description

The Trojan Bunny Buttress is a large and complex formation on the South side of SSV canyon and across the creek from the parking. Most of the rock faces North, however, routes exist on West, East, and North facing parts. The crag proper can be said to begin at a large blank looking wall that faces due East. It sweeps West all the way to a West facing slab called Leatherface that is really part of the same large formation. The rock is typical SSV canyon granite and is well featured with big roofs, edges, flakes, and cracks. While many single pitch routes exist on TBB, the crag is really two pitches high and a few two pitch routes exist as well. Several older trad routes follow obvious crack systems. Also, the TBB slab in the middle of the formation and the Leatherface slab at the West end both have older sport routes that need a little protection in addition to the bolts. Since early in the year 2000 about 15 new sport lines have gone in. These take some of the obvious features of the crag, pushing through the roof systems, aretes, and the largely untouched middle section. Many of these routes are hard, with nothing easier than 5.11b. Most of the pitches have been Red Pointed as of this writing. However, some terrific projects are still in the works. The upper pitches of the two pitch routes are on some of the finest granite I have climbed in the SSV.

Getting There

The Trojan Bunny Buttresses sits 7.2 miles up the SSV canyon via CO Highway 7. A large and generous parking area is right below, but on the opposite side of the stream and right off the road. Two approaches have been used to access the crag. On the left is an easily negotiated talus field with a cairn trail marked through it. The left approach will deposit you exactly at the East end of the crag. Alternatively, it is possible to head up the gully directly across from the parking. This will jog left to easy terrain half way up the gully. This approach deposits you at the TBB slab itself. Both approaches entail crossing the stream. However, since all five Tyrollean traverses that were installed at the TBB have been chopped, you are pretty much on your own for getting across the stream. I have found that 100 feet downstream from the edge of the parking there is a good section for wading across.

Routes from Left to Right

5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c
 40
Botany of Desire
Sport
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 12
Half Cracked
Trad, TR
5.13d 8b 31 X 32 E8 7a
 1
Granite Oak
Sport
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
 10
Bun in the Oven
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 89
Temptation Arete
Sport
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 33
Thy Holy Hand Grenade
Sport
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 9
Lick My Plate
Trad, Sport 2 pitches
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 6
Streatch
Trad, Sport 2 pitches
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 2
Dog Will Hunt
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 45
The Bruise Collector
Sport
5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 13
The Bucket List
Trad, Sport
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
 7
Europithacus
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 27
Delivering Dynos
Sport
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
 17
Sloping Surprise
Sport
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
 22
Crawfish
Sport
5.12c/d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b
 4
Evolution
Trad 2 pitches
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
 13
Only A Flesh Wound
Sport
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 10
Cuervo Gold
Sport
5.13+ 8b 30 X- 31 E7 7a
 1
Unicorn Tower
Sport
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 35
Goldshut Arete
Sport
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 56
Fire On The Mountain
Trad, Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 38
Sonata
Trad
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 26
Pondemonium
Trad, Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Botany of Desire
 40
5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c Sport
Half Cracked
 12
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad, TR
Granite Oak
 1
5.13d 8b 31 X 32 E8 7a Sport
Bun in the Oven
 10
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b Sport
Temptation Arete
 89
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
Thy Holy Hand Grenade
 33
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Sport
Lick My Plate
 9
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad, Sport 2 pitches
Streatch
 6
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Trad, Sport 2 pitches
Dog Will Hunt
 2
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport
The Bruise Collector
 45
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
The Bucket List
 13
5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a Trad, Sport
Europithacus
 7
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a Sport
Delivering Dynos
 27
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
Sloping Surprise
 17
5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a Sport
Crawfish
 22
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b Sport
Evolution
 4
5.12c/d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b Trad 2 pitches
Only A Flesh Wound
 13
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b Sport
Cuervo Gold
 10
5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Sport
Unicorn Tower
 1
5.13+ 8b 30 X- 31 E7 7a Sport
Goldshut Arete
 35
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
Fire On The Mountain
 56
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Trad, Sport
Sonata
 38
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Trad
Pondemonium
 26
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Trad, Sport

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

A topo of the left side of TBB as of Nov. 2022.
[Hide Photo] A topo of the left side of TBB as of Nov. 2022.
This tyrol was intact in the summer of 2020.
[Hide Photo] This tyrol was intact in the summer of 2020.
TBB from the roadway.
[Hide Photo] TBB from the roadway.
Trojan Bunny Buttress from just up-canyon.
[Hide Photo] Trojan Bunny Buttress from just up-canyon.
Trojan Bunny Buttress.
[Hide Photo] Trojan Bunny Buttress.
The start of Cuervo on the right and maybe the short "Only A Flesh Wound" on the left.
[Hide Photo] The start of Cuervo on the right and maybe the short "Only A Flesh Wound" on the left.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

evd
[Hide Comment] Most if not all of the routes on The Bunny were established by Alvino and company. In fact, many routes in the Vrain were established by Alvino and company. Hence 'Pon Scum' (12) or 'Pondimonium', etc. Sep 28, 2009
[Hide Comment] Evd, Temptation Arete and the route left of it are not Alvino's.... Sep 28, 2009
[Hide Comment] Has anybody made it up to the TBB this season? We made a feeble attempt a couple weeks ago. Between my wife being gimpy and me being wimpy the creek crossing didn't look too enticing, so we bailed. Curious to see if anybody has found a good way across - it looks like the creek has changed a lot since I was last there a few years ago. Jul 30, 2014
Tony B
Around Boulder, CO
[Hide Comment] Good question. I was going to try to go to Mechanical Man the other day, and it was a new slick trench. No go until the water falls significantly.

Let's be sure to update each approach as we find them.
Desdemona/Area 51 are good to cross - wider than they used to be, but walkable with a stick. Jul 31, 2014
JF M
NoCo
[Hide Comment] September 20th - the water is low enough to cross either above the crag (a 5-foot jump) or just below it at the talus slope. Sep 20, 2014
Travis Bieber
Fort Collins
[Hide Comment] The parking lot has been reduced quite a bit but is still there. We ended up parking at the lot for The Monkey Skull, walked upstream roughly 1/4 of a mile, and used a short and sketchy Tyrolean to cross the stream. May 8, 2023
Leo Wu
Longmont, CO
[Hide Comment] There are parking on both sides of the road with a few spots each, so I would think it could easily accommodate normal traffic. As of May 2023, the Tyrolean has two ropes, with one rope being completely sketchy. The second rope looks okay though, but we didn't inspect carefully. The water is running crazy, so you definitely don't want to fall into it. Botany of Desire side of the crag, at this time of the year, is generally sunny in the morning and goes into shade in the afternoon. May 29, 2023
Kyle P
Longmont, CO
[Hide Comment] I went up here today, and the tyrol is out. Looks like the rope snapped (or got cut) from the roadside boulder and is dangling in the water. The anchors look fine. The water is way too gnarly to cross, unless you cross way downstream. Godspeed. Apr 17, 2024
Scott Wilton
Boulder, CO
[Hide Comment] The Tyrol is back up. We climbed here today. Thank you to whoever replaced it. Jun 2, 2024