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I'm at the first belay described in Scott's descri...
Description
A trilogy, if you will, of 5.9 Sundance Buttress Classics: Mainliner, Sidetrack and between them, Betwix'em. There is a third pitch to this route, but we optioned for Mainliner's stemming crux pitch.
#1. Start a few feet left of Mainliner up a 4in. 5.7 crack. From the pillar top, follow knobs up a corner with a grass hummock to a left-leaning (5.6R) ramp and belay atop this feature in a blocky crack. This point may be reached a bit more directly by nice 5.8/9 handjamming via a traverse left through a Thimbleberry patch.
#2 This pitch is especially sweet. Follow vertical 5.9 cracks, first staying left then finally arching right over black knobs and flakes (excellent protection) to a good belay on or near Mainliner.
A great and very seldom traveled alternative to Mainliner or Sidetrack. It's a bit dirtier than those routes due to lack of traffic, but the climbing is steep, interesting and on very high quality rock with good pro. See attached photos for route finding beta on the 5.9 second pitch. The 5.6 third pitch is easy but high quality and puts you right at the base of Sidetracks upper crux pitch, which is a great way to finish up this route.
Did this route again for the second time recently. A route-finding comment: On the second pitch about 20-30 feet above the first belay, the crack splits. The right-hand crack looks clean and beautiful and you may be tempted to go that way, but DON'T. The left-hand crack which mostly goes straight up, may look steep and intimidating and one section looks hard to protect. In fact, the climbing is superb and you can get many rests and excellent pro the whole way. This pitch is incredibly good and you will be missing out to pass it by.
Sundance Buttress
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