Any route or boulder problem that starts out of or near an occupied campsite may not be done without first obtaining the campsite occupant's permission.
Photo by Chris Fox.
Description
I never have figured out quite how to pronounce the name of this climb. I also have no idea what the hell a buissonier is. A buisson is a bush. The nearest I can figure is buissonniere, French for "to play truant or skip school". In any case, a pretty good climb.
Begin behind campsite (#21). First moves off the deck are awkward - protect with small nut or TCU to avoid castration from sharp fin of rock below in the event of a fall. Either jam or lieback the left-angling crack. Gear belay.
Descent: scramble down chimney to the southwest (a little tricky).
Protection
Standard rack. A small nut or TCU will help protect initial moves off the deck.
Don't let the 5.7 fool you, this is very strenuous. I followed this classic and it's a typical old school Robbins sandbag.I was pretty gassed when it was over.Not for fledgling 5.7 leaders.
This is a JTree sandbag at 5.7. When this climb was put up, 5.7 meant a moderately hard climb, roughly equivalent to 5.9 at modern sport climbing areas. Many beginners would find Papa or Mama Woolsey easier to follow than Buissonier.
It was definately a burly warm-up on a cold morning. If you are not comfortable with 4th class downclimbing consider the rap. I found the downclimb fairly exposed. However, the rap looked like it might eat our rope about half-way down.
Sandbagged, wretched, lousy, stinking, crummy, foul, nasty and perverse. Only people who enjoy surgery would like this thing. I ignored it for years. I wish I'd continued so. On the other hand, you might as well climb it so you can check it off.
the word "Sandbagged" is used very often when concerning climbs that some feel are over rated... My question is, if it is just one rating over, should it be considerer a true "Sandbag" or just a bad day for someone, or maybe a techniques they are not great at, or AGE or the many other factors involved???... A route rated 5.7 that is in fact 5.10a is what I would call a true "Sandbag"... Or a 5.3 offwidth that feels more like 5.9 (I soloed one and was quickly humbled)... is it me or am I on to something here??? Ratings are somewhat relative to the FA... beyond that it is a sort of starting point for the rest of us to get some idea of what it goes at. And ratings have changed through the years. Is it a "Sandbag" if it was put up "way back when" or just the "rating of the day"???... Sometimes it seems that many people want to change "ALL" of the ratings on a climb to climb basis... I have done the route here in question and agree that it felt a little harder than what is now considered 5.7. But I also took a good look at it and could figure that out before stepping onto it. Then agin, I did it back when I climbed much better... So how should it be rated???.... I stick with 5.7 for now...
Start up high on the fin to gain hand crack and trust your feet. Getting into the chimney helped alleviate the horrible crux jam at the top...The descent was a horrible spine-cracking experience just waiting to happen... Be careful!
Nice climb with a frustratingly awkward start and an increasingly strenuous crack, finishing with a short sharp layback - good value 5.8! We did the rap descent which features a scary start involving either a vertical plummet for 10 feet (not recommended ;-) or a bit of heel-hooking to get down below the anchors
By Bill Olszewski From: San Marcos, CA Mar 10, 2007 rating: 5.7
Maybe I've just climbed too much in Josh over the past few years but I think this is an excellent climb for the rating and no big deal with the walk-off. It does look intimidating (and feels that way the first time) but goes down no issue. Eats gear rather well, just make sure you place that first piece to protect you from the "fin" and don't do the lieback - walk the arch instead. Yes, a little awkward, but it saves your arms. And take that rest at the start of the vertical section.
This was a lot easier the second time. This route seems to be on quite a few soloists' circuit. Being camped at the site right by it, we saw soloists run up the thing quite frequently. The slab downclimb past the chimney seems to be easier than the chimney itself.
By Brandt Allen From: Joshua Tree, Cal May 29, 2007
This is a wonderful, aesthetic, sustained route for anyone with some basic jamming technique. Perhaps a bit strenuous for 5.7 but the pro is good. The descent chimney is scary looking but very secure and no big deal.
By jblackattack From: las vegas, nv Oct 30, 2007 rating: 5.7
Thought this was a really fun route. I did not find it stiff for the 5.7 rating, just that it has a sustained section to work through. Very good pro and if you just move through the crux section you get a nice rest in the chimney.
I have done this route twice now and always get forced into the layback at the top. Makes it harder than it should be. Anyone know anything about the offwidth to the left? I heard it's last ascent was in the 80's. Yikes!
BETA ALERT: You do not have to lieback anywhere on this route. If you lieback it then it will of course seem more strenuous. Just rack all your gear on the left side and walk up the crack, jamming more for balance & security than for upward movement.
Jam the crack and walk up it? I whipped 3 feet below where the crack / flake goes vertical about halfway up. Left some finger DNA for my follower on the slick as snot lip. Finally moved past the section by liebacking on smeary face edges.
Strenuous? You betcha!
5.7? Not in my opinion - but I can see how the Stone Masters would think so.
Classic? I won't go back for a second helping.
The rap route can be tricky at the top - you need to have secure footing to avoid swinging out into the air below the chock stone where the slings are fixed. Awkward diaganol movement the the whole way down.
Maybe it was just a bad day for me, it's happened before.
It is an awesome climb, beginning would be sketchy if you don't protect it with a nut, no lie backing necessary, I think 5.7 is fair, easy to protect, and the descent looks much scarier than it is.
I didn't think it was that hard for the grade. The start is definitely thought-provoking, but it does protect with a small cam and/or nut -- this, of course, takes up the space where your fingers would have gone, so after some grumbling it finally occurred to me that using the wall to the right for a chimney-move start might not be inappropriate. (Hey, didn't Royal love to chimney?) There's no need for strenuous liebacking; this climb is all about relaxing into a good body position. Lots of fun!
And the chimney on the descent only looks like it will spit you out (terrified me); but once you get down into it, it's really not that bad.
By Royce Robertson From: Joshua Tree, California Sep 25, 2008 rating: 5.8-
A Royal Robbins 5.7, so do the math. Not an easy 5.7 unless you have the upper body strength to pound through the laybacking. Challenging climb. Definitely recommended but closer to 5.8 or 9 for newb leaders