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Sunshine Buttress Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in Sunshine Buttress

L › R R › L A › Z

	[Redacted] S 5.13c 8a+ 30 X- 31 E7 7a
	Colostrum T 5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c PG13
	Criminal Minds S 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
	Dude, Where's My Van? T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Love Puppy T 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
	Mango Boingo S 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
	Mother's Milk S 5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
	Necromancer S 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Original Crankster, The S 5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c
	Syndicate Fool S 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
	Unbroken Chain S 5.12a/b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6a

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Explore this area in 3D

Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Elevation:	1,560 ft	475 m
GPS:	38.0752, -81.0891 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	11,789 total · 55/month
Shared By:	Ladd Raine on Apr 11, 2007 · Updates
Admins:	Pat Goodman, Chris Whisenhunt, Amanda Smith, Pnelson Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: NO DRONES ON NATIONAL PARKLANDS Details

All of the crags within the New River Gorge proper are on national parklands, and drone use is prohibited here. There has been some discussion about places to launch drones that are not on park property, and then flying them over the gorge. This is super poor form; don't do it. Park regulations prohibit all drone use over the boundaries without a permit.

Description

Drive across the New River Gorge Bridge and look downstream. See that prominent orange buttress on river left, sticking out of the trees? That's Sunshine Buttress, a small, quality, easily approached pocket of Nuttall Sandstone goodness! Despite its close proximity, you are not likely to encounter crowds here, due to a lack of easier routes.

The best lines here like Unbroken Chain (12a), Whores in Church (13c), and Mother's Milk (12d) are clustered around the impressive prow that juts high over the Fayette Station Road. The left side of the prow gets morning sun and afternoon shade, right side is vice versa. Left of Unbroken Chain, the cliffline keeps going for quite a ways, but the routes are not as quality.

Right of Mother's Milk is a fairly easy scramble to the top of the cliff, where you will be treated to one of the best views in the New River Gorge.

Getting There

Although this buttress is barely a stone's throw from Fayetteville, getting there is kind of a pain, due to the Fayette Station Road being one-way. Drive past the National Park's visitor center and down into the gorge as if approaching Bridge Buttress, switching back all the way down to the bottom of the gorge to Fayette Station. Drive across the river, and switch back up and out of the gorge.

A bit over a half mile after passing under the New River Gorge Bridge, you'll see a large pull-out on the right, just before the road turns left away from the gorge. Park here, cross the road, and scramble up the faint climber's trail directly to Mother's Milk area.

If you have bikes or don't mind walking, you can drive in from the Fayetteville side. Driving north from town on 19, take a left at the last intersection before the bridge. Drive about a mile down this road until you seen signs marking the beginning of it being one-way. Park here and walk or ride about another mile to Sunshine Buttress.

DO NOT drive the wrong way down this road, especially during tourist season! Rafting company buses and trucks frequent the narrow route, and you do not want to run into one.