Third Buttress

BETA PHOTO: Third Buttress 1. Standard Route (7+) 2. West Face...

Description 

The Third Buttress is the most popular of the Elephant Buttresses & is home to a number of good, moderate routes on solid rock: Standard Route, 7+; Monster Woman, 8+; Wingtip, 10c; Left Wing, 10c; What's Up?, 10d; and the impressive FM, 11c. This area can be quite popular. It does have the unique aspect that multiple of its routes start on or near an old pipeline.

Some routes start up a gully between the Second and Third Buttress, and others start right off the water pipe. Routes here are 1-2 pitches long. No bolts here.

L->R:

A. Feathers, 8+, 1p, gear.
B. Wingtip, 10, 1p, 60', gear.
C. Left Wing, 10, 1p, gear.
D. Pegasus?, 11, 1p, gear.
E. Misdirected?, 11+, 1p, gear.
F. What's Up.?, 10+, 1p, gear.
G. FM, 11, 1-2p, gear.
H. Kangaroof?, 11, 2p, gear.
I. Mojo Rising, 9, gear.
J?. No Mo' Jo', 11+, 1-2p, gear.
K. Variation?, 9+, 2p, gear.
L. Standard Route, 7+, 2p, gear.
M. Monster Woman, 9-, 2p, gear.
N. Ah Maw?, 10- R, 2p, gear.
O. West Face, 7, 1-2p, gear.

Getting There 

Cross the bridge, go R, go up to the water pipe, and walk right, past the First and Second Buttress, to the Third Buttress. There are several prominent cables anchored from the pipe to the rock.

Descents 

There are multiple options: 1) The most commonly used descent is the 4th class to low 5th class downclimb down the ramp, but this is exposed. This is not advisable with beginners or in the rain. 2) Scramble down between the Second and Third Buttress and rappel 90' from the tree atop Pine Tree Route. 3) If the water level is low enough, you can take the water tunnel between the Third and Fourth Buttress. Be prepared for darkness and wet legs/feet; watch your head in the tunnel. 4) If you're not in a hurry, you can walk down between the First Buttress and the Dome, and walk the water pipe back to the Third Buttress.

The Classics

Featured Route For Third Buttress

FM 5.11c  CO : Boulder Canyon : ... : Third Buttress

This route is on the Third Elephant Buttress, on the north side. To access it walk along the pipe till you reach a gully between the Second and Third Buttresses. Scramble about 20 feet up the gully to the base of the climb. This climb follows a left facing dihedral that begins about 40 feet up. The route is to the right of Left Wing and starts up a short face to an obvious, chalked finger crack. Make some challenging moves to gain the finger crac...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO

Photos of Third Buttress Slideshow

Add Photo

BETA PHOTO: The Elephant Buttresses. Most routes start off th...