Approaching the crux on the Buzz. Photo taken by ...
Description
This is a little-known but absolutely killer line on Bitty Buttress. Hike up to Bitty Buttress and continue past the fallen tree for a couple hundred yards until the trail curves around to meet the southeast corner of the buttress. You will be in an awesome alcove that gets lots of morning sun, and is nice and wind-protected. It is bordered on two sides by overhanging rock.
There are three lines in this alcove. On the giant overhanging wave to the right is the The Lorax (13b). It is hard to understand why there aren't more routes here - there is plenty of room for more - multipitch as well. Moving left to the planar wall, there is an unfinished (14?) project. On the farthest left is the Buzz.
At first glance, the Buzz appears vertical, but when you get on it you will find the route overhangs by about 10 degrees. The climbing starts off reasonably easy, and then gets consistently harder as you go up an overhanging seam (12a) to the crux. You hit the crux about 35 feet up, where you get a clip before launching into a bizarre sequence. From here it is about 8-10 feet of thin, tenuous, and inobvious 12d crux maneuvering to make it to a jug and another clip. You can chill out a little on a rounded arete before continuing, but there is a bit more 11d/12a climbing guarding the anchors. Great line!
I have sent The Buzz, but I haven't put away Vasodilator yet. In my opinion, Vasodilator is a bit more difficult, because it is relentlessly hard from top to bottom. The crux of The Buzz may be a tad harder than any of the moves on Vasodilator (although the egg-like rounded arete at the end of Vaso is pretty sick), but the climbing on either side of the crux is only 12a. So you only have to do hard moves for about 8 feet. Vasodilator is super continuous and pumpy - more hard climbing for sure.
Hmmm, 12c especially if you bail before the crux even starts -- you may want to redpoint first, and remove your bail biner -- would make for a move credible statement...
Sorry, AC from 71.208.46.17, but I sent the Buzz 2nd try on Thursday 9/22, and scored a crappy bail biner in the process. Post back when you're ready to not make a fool of yourself.
Since you are curious about the grade, this route is easier than both Hang 'em High and I'm Not a Philistine, both Rifle 12c, and about the same overall difficulty as Movement of Fear. Go get on In Your Face or Beer Run to see what real 12+ and 13- routes feel like. Sound credible enough?
Bitty Buttress
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