1st pitch

All Locations > California > High Sierra > 14 - Whitney &… > Mt Whitney > E Buttress (5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b)

1st pitch

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Pinnacle Ridge

remnants of the ice falls

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4.7 from 3 votes

Nelson Day

Sep 4, 2012

“1st pitch”

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An incredible line. This perspective is hard to imagine when you're looking up at the mountain, but I hope this photo shows how it isn't all that sustained or intimidating when you're up there - just pure fun!

Mt. Whitney's East Buttress, just below the Peewee. Photo by Tauru.

Roping up at the start of the route.

Woah

Topo aspect from Iceberg Lake showing 5.8 alternate start for the first pitch. Highly recommend this variation. Climbers can be seen on first pitch of regular 5.6 start.

Fun shot of Peewee on the East Buttress.

Sunrise from the E Buttress route

Renee finishing up the crux moves on pitch 7.

Mt Whitney at sunrise. East Buttress is clearly visible on the right side of the picture.

Kevin on the East Buttress. December 2016

John Fujii pauses on the crest. Iceberg Lake below.

A view of the summit. There are many options here, but good route finding is needed to keep it 5.7. Many 5.8- 5.10 alternates...

On the approach to the East Buttress.

second 5.7 section

Brett leads the 5.7 piton-protected variation above the 2nd Tower.

Stay along the cliffs to the right on the descent of the Mountaineers Route and aim for the notch (shown here) to the right of Piss Rock to avoid lower gully. Cairned all the way.

Climbing past peewee block on Pitch 6. We went right of the block; easy climbing

Pinnacle Ridge

1st pitch

remnants of the ice falls

right before the PeeWee on the East Buttress

Jon coming up on pitch 3

The Peewee on the East Buttress.

Iceberg Lake campsite, with Whitney in background

Looking down pitch 1 to John Fujii

Straight down the buttress. Camp at Icerberg Lake below.

Having some fun on blocks, pre-summit, post roped up

Duke soloing high on the East Buttress.

Mike Morley and Jeff Crow atop Mt. Whitney after summiting the East Buttress on a bluebird day in late May, 2002.

Mountaineers Route descent (barely any snow left in May!)

rippled slab is the first 5.7 section

Kevin on the East Buttress. December 2016

Around the 4th pitch. Fun slabs ahead.

2 climbers on top of the 2nd tower

Looking up at the start of pitch 4.

Jonny pulls down on the right side of the Peewee. Photo by Brett Barrett.

John Fujii at the end of pitch 2.

looking over to Russell

Whitney

looking up at the E Buttress

Jeff Crow approaches the belay on one of the upper pitches of Whitney's East Buttress in late May, 2002.

Seth on lead.

flakes around P4/5

P1 (regular start)

looking down on the 1st pillar

First Pitch

Top of pitch 7 and the creaky flakes.

easy blocky climbing on P4

Orange dihedral pitch on East Buttress, Mt Whitney. Photo courtesy Bill McConachie

bottom of the Peewee

Aaron on lead.

about half way up the East Buttress (4th or 5th pitch?)

Fred Batliner passing the RIGHT side Peewee. (c) Tony Tennessee

view down to Iceberg

another view of Pinnacle Ridge

A view of Packy finding his way down the mountaineer's route...

looking down the Peewee on P6

Mariann and I happy on the Summit !

another view of Pinnacle Ridge

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