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Cathedral Buttress

Wyoming > Grand Teton NP > Death Canyon

Description

Cathedral Buttress offers an experience different from most Teton routes. Probably the highest concentration of pure non-summit rock climbs in the Park. Many high-quality classics, including The Snaz, Aerial Boundaries and Caveat Emptor. The lower elevation and south-facing nature makes many routes early-season endeavors. There is enough alpine weather and routefinding, however, to remind you you're in the Tetons.

Cathedral Rock is an awesome playground, one of the best for stacked pitches at a harder level in the Tetons. I've spent a lot of time up there. Here are some notes on various linkups and some descent beta.

Two really fun linkups to mix things up a bit:
1) Climb the first two difficult pitches of Caveat and traverse over to the base of The Snaz's crux pitch. Rap here or continue up Cousin Leroy. You can also do a double rope rap from the anchor at the base of The Snaz's 5th pitch and climb The Snazette crack, but this adds on a good bit of time.
2) Climb the Snazette variation to the Snaz and continue up the upper two difficult pitches of Caveat. The Caveatte linkup! You do cut off the classic 2nd hard pitch of Caveat, but the Snazette is a very worthy and beautiful crack

Descent: I have rapped the Snaz rap route with 70M double-rope (described in in Andy's comment to Caveat's). It is certainly nice, but both times I've managed to get my rope stuck in flakes during the rap that begins at the top of the Snaz's 5.9 wide pitch. I think the best option might be to just use the bolt anchor at the base of the 5.9 wide pitch instead of skipping it.

Getting There

Directly across from the Moose Visitor Center, make a left onto Moose-Wilson road. Make a right onto a dirt road after about 10 minutes. Follow this road to the Death Canyon trailhead. From the trailhead, hike past Phelps Lake and into the canyon. After about 3 miles, reach a section of switchbacks that come extremely close to the creek.

For The Snaz and Caveat Emptor, instead of turning back west after the sixth switchback, continue straight, scrambling up to a large ledge. If the trail begins to level out an enter a big valley, you've gone too far! Follow this ledge to a slab with a large tree that leads to a broad ledge above. This is the approach pitch for the Snaz and Caveat Emptor.

For Aerial Boundaries and Escape from Death, continue past all the switchbacks until the trail just begins to level out. See that route description for additional info.

Routes from Left to Right

5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a R
 1
The Widowmaker
Trad, Alpine 6 pitches
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 26
Aerial Boundaries
Trad, Alpine 5 pitches
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 2
Aerial Boundaries (FNG Variation)
Trad, Alpine 5 pitches
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 5
Escape from Death
Trad, Alpine 5 pitches
5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b PG13
 3
Fountainhead
Trad, Alpine 6 pitches
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c PG13
 1
Cotton Mouth
Trad, Alpine 7 pitches
5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b
 3
Freedom Fighter
Trad, Alpine 5 pitches
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
 1
Alpine Cow
Trad, Alpine 4 pitches
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 58
Caveat Emptor
Trad, Alpine 8 pitches
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 146
The Snaz
Trad, Alpine 9 pitches
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 22
The Snazette
Trad, Alpine 2 pitches
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 6
Cousin Leroy's Uncle
Trad, Alpine
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c
 27
Sunshine Daydream
Trad, Alpine 9 pitches
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
 4
SW Ridge of Albright
Trad, Alpine 12 pitches
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
The Widowmaker
 1
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a R Trad, Alpine 6 pitches
Aerial Boundaries
 26
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad, Alpine 5 pitches
Aerial Boundaries (FNG Vari…
 2
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Trad, Alpine 5 pitches
Escape from Death
 5
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad, Alpine 5 pitches
Fountainhead
 3
5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b PG13 Trad, Alpine 6 pitches
Cotton Mouth
 1
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c PG13 Trad, Alpine 7 pitches
Freedom Fighter
 3
5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b Trad, Alpine 5 pitches
Alpine Cow
 1
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a Trad, Alpine 4 pitches
Caveat Emptor
 58
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Trad, Alpine 8 pitches
The Snaz
 146
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Trad, Alpine 9 pitches
The Snazette
 22
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad, Alpine 2 pitches
Cousin Leroy's Uncle
 6
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad, Alpine
Sunshine Daydream
 27
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c Trad, Alpine 9 pitches
SW Ridge of Albright
 4
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Trad, Alpine 12 pitches

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

view up canyon from the walkoff
[Hide Photo] view up canyon from the walkoff
The rappel from the top of Pitch 9 of The Snaz. We rapped the route with a single 70.
[Hide Photo] The rappel from the top of Pitch 9 of The Snaz. We rapped the route with a single 70.
Looking up at the start of the walk-off descent from the top of The Snaz.
[Hide Photo] Looking up at the start of the walk-off descent from the top of The Snaz.
The 4th class scramble up to the ledge as seen from the hiking trail
[Hide Photo] The 4th class scramble up to the ledge as seen from the hiking trail
Cathedral Buttress in April 2007.
[Hide Photo] Cathedral Buttress in April 2007.
Cathedral Buttress, Death Canyon, Tetons.
[Hide Photo] Cathedral Buttress, Death Canyon, Tetons.
The Snaz follows the obvious corner system.
[Hide Photo] The Snaz follows the obvious corner system.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

[Hide Comment] This wall is in the sun almost all day. Subtract two stars for any route done without water on a hot day. Jul 22, 2006
Andy Laakmann
Bend, OR
[Hide Comment] The first 5 pitches of the Snaz stay shady until around noon, but Caveats does roast all day. Jul 22, 2006