The Swarm

A great way to get to the summit of Cutthroat via the large and steep East Face. A varied climb that includes several good pitches, and one truly incredible pitch. Each of the anchors for the four 5.10-5.11 pitches on the main headwall are bolted and could easily be rappelled with two ropes. The first two pitches and the last two pitches have natural (gear or tree) anchors. 

P1 (5.7, 130'): Start in the middle of the East Face on a prominent ledge system that can be gained via 20' of 4th class climbing on the climber's right side of the ledge. Traverse the ledge to the left until you get to a nice (smaller) ledge and there is an obvious left-facing dihedral above that passes through two small roofs. Climb this for 120-130' until you can pull up onto a ledge on the right and built an anchor in a horizontal crack. 

P2 (5.6 120'): Climb up and right off of the large ledge, easily passing a few loose blocks until you are on fourth-class terrain. Take this all the way up onto the large treed ledge that marks the start of the headwall. Belay off many gear or tree options. 

Move the belay up and to the left 20' until you are standing/belaying on a perfectly flat table-top rock.

P3 (5.10b, 120'): The Gem. Climb the 25' left-facing dihedral (crux). Extend your last piece in this dihedral with a long sling. Once on top of the dihedral, climb down and left for ten feet to the base of the very obvious splitter finger crack. Send the perfect finger crack (5.10a) that widens to hands and gets significantly easier the higher you get. Super Ultra Mega Glory!! As soon as the crack pinches down and disappears, a second crack appears 4' to the right, and more glory climbing is easily done until you reach the bolted anchor at a small but comfortable stance. 

P4 (5.11a/b, 70'): Climb above the anchor on easy climbing, but somewhat hollow rock (find the solid gear, it's there). Once below the roof, move left to an obvious pedestal. Climb up and into the shallow left-facing dihedral that skirts the left side of the roof. Make moves back left to some hidden jugs, then top out up and to the right on a large sloping ledge. Pull up onto the next large flat ledge and belay at the bolted anchor next to a dead tree.

P5 (5.10c/d, 80'): Start up the dihedral then move right onto the many flared cracks on the face. Climb the ever-steeping cracks though an obvious but short crux to a bolted anchor at a stance. This is a fun pitch that is a bit harder than it looks.

P6 (5.11c/d, 100'): Jam, stem, smear, and layback up the dihedral through difficult climbing with good, small gear. About ten feet below the ledge near the top of the main dihedral, plug a .75 in a pod and make a hard span out left to a good edge on the face. Climbing on the left wall of the dihedral, clip the only protection bolt on the route and execute the hardest moves of the day. You will stand on a small ledge and find yourself on much easier terrain for fifty feet until you can access a nice ledge around the corner on the left. Belay off a bolted anchor.

P7 (5.8/9, 90'): Climb easy blocky terrain above the belay, then traverse twenty feet right into a chimney feature. Climb this until you are standing on a ledge on top. Do the 15' foot traverse left until you are under a short seam with a couple of pods for smallish gear. Climb this up to the large ledge with a tree and a cave. Belay off the tree, gear, or one of the easily sling-able pinches in the cave. 

p8 (5.6, 200): Climb up through the keyhole in the top of the cave. Follow easy ground, getting easier the higher you get until the climbing turns to fourth class. Belay on top of the ridge.

From here, one can easily walk and do a short 5.4 down climb to gain the "humps" of the South Buttress. In the wise words of Alex: PARTY!

We descended the S. Buttress because it was late in the day, but if there are parties on route, it is best to descend the standard West Ridge. 

Approach as for the N. Ridge, but cut up to the face as soon as you get around the base of the S. Buttress. One could climb the first pitch or two of the S. Buttress then traverse 4th or low 5th class terrain over to the base of the 3rd pitch. However, the approach to this face, albeit a little longer, avoids any steep scree chimneys that you have to hike up to get to the S. Buttress.