This route has access issues. Please read the note available on the Cathedral Spires Area page.
BETA PHOTO: The Poe Buttress, with the second pitch of Edge of...
Description
Edge of Fright joins Mississippi Half Step as one of the "Triple Crown" classics on the Poe Buttress. It links up three cracks on the right edge of the buttress, and is characterized by committing moves above small protection. The first pitch begins with the Half Step, then steps right at the obvious, horizontal crack and continues up a positive, finger crack (5.10). The second pitch is the Business, and begins directly above the bolted anchor on the belay ledge. Climb slabby moves to an easy hand and fist crack. Collect your psyche, place some pro then step left and climb a thin seam with hard to place small protection. A rest is gained at the horizontal before making hard moves left to the final crack. Another tenuous rest is followed by a challenging, final crack which eventually widens to thin hands before stepping left again to join the Half Step at its second belay. Although the Edge of Fright is a scary lead it protects pretty well with modern small gear. It is arguably the best route on the Poe Buttress. Get on it!
Location
The route is on the far right side of the Poe Buttress. A 70M rope will get you down from the fixed stopper anchor at the top of pitch 2 of the Half Step. Or continue to the top of Uptown Toodaloo and do 3 rappels with a 60M rope down Off Your Rocker.
The following is a comment in Mississippi Half Step by Olaf Mitchell regarding the route:
I would like to acknowledge Rufus' lead on first ascent of "Edge of Fright"! Prandoni and I did the second ascent of Edge of Fright the same day we climbed the Toodeloo and Halfstep. We were armed with two complete sets of wired nuts and extra draws and biners. If my memory serves me well, we used most of that gear.
After speaking with Noel after their ascent, he told me that they barely had a full set of wires and some sizes were missing. This means that Rufus had to climb some "sick" sections without the protection that a mortal man would need. "But, I have never heard of Rufus "Bam-Bam" Miller ever referred to as mortal!"
Onsight 1997. Yes, the name was apt. I used a bunch of RPs and sliders, and then didn't have decent pro at the little roof. The next year I went back with my friend Pat, and he led it with some type of a trick tri-cam. Looked safe.
Poe Buttress
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