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Elevation: 7,191 ft
GPS: 38.81381, -108.61917
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 168,212 total · 958/month
Shared By: Matthew Seymour on Oct 15, 2009 · Updates
Admins: Jesse Zacher, Bradley Mark Edwards, Nick Reecy, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC
Warning Access Issue: Private Property borders DetailsDrop down

Description Suggest change

The Mother's Buttress area was one of the first areas in the canyon to be developed, and with good reason. Excellent stone with continuous cracks, excellent solid face features, and steep unbroken rock make this area a true gem. The Mother's Buttress is broken into three main crags: Lower, Middle, and Upper Mother's Buttresses. A smaller crag, the Cave Buttress, is also accessed from the same approach, simply walk up and right once you reach the cliff.

Lower Mother's contains a great collection of single pitch cracks from 5.7 to 5.10, and is often a popular area for groups to set up top-ropes. The alcove on Middle Mother's contains the best collection of single pitch 5.11s in the canyon, with a few harder, and longer lines thrown in. Upper Mother's is home to a few classics including Questions and Answers, the undisputed classic multi-pitch in the canyon.

The majority of climbing on Mother's Buttress is on property that is currently owned by local climbers, but will soon be held by a climbing non-profit: the Western Colorado Climbers Coalition. Due to the way the property lines were drawn some climbs on the right side of Lower Mother's and all those on Cave Buttress are owned by another, and this parcel is currently for sale. Stay tuned for more developments.

As of July 2012, the WCCC with the help of volunteers, donations, and grants has been completed the Mother's Buttress project. A special thank you to the Petersons, who bought this property to keep it in climbersÂ’ hands and subdivided it so the cliff side would be open to the public for future generations. The Access Fund also played a key role in this project.

Getting There Suggest change

Drive 3.1 miles along CO-141 past the turn for divide road to a small pull out on the right side of the road.

There is a new trail that avoids private land that starts just left of the old trail. If you get the right trail you don't need to jump the fence, it is cut down between two of the posts.

Please park a couple feet back away from the edge of the gravel.

146 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Mother's Buttress

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b
 51
RSG
Sport
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b PG13
 10
Pleasure Pillar Arete (AKA Facia…
Trad
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 19
Large, Purple and Violent
Sport
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 55
Questions and Answers
Trad 3 pitches
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 17
Indirect Objects
Trad 3 pitches
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c
 16
Dirty Harry
Trad
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c
 11
Jagged Edge
Trad
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c
 9
[Redacted]
Trad, Sport
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 12
Centurion
Trad, Sport
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 9
Doppelgänger
Trad, Sport 3 pitches
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 10
Iron Maiden
Trad, Sport
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 7
The Persistence of Loss
Trad 3 pitches
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 4
The Main Vein
Trad, Sport 2 pitches
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 9
Alacrity
Sport
5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b
 5
Flight Without Wings
Trad, Sport
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
RSG Other Mothers
 51
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b Sport
Pleasure Pillar Arete (AKA… Cave Buttress
 10
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b PG13 Trad
Large, Purple and Violent Outback
 19
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport
Questions and Answers Upper Mother's Buttress
 55
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad 3 pitches
Indirect Objects Middle Mother's
 17
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad 3 pitches
Dirty Harry Middle Mother's
 16
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c Trad
Jagged Edge Middle Mother's
 11
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c Trad
[Redacted] Middle Mother's
 9
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c Trad, Sport
Centurion Middle Mother's
 12
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad, Sport
Doppelgänger Upper Mother's Buttress
 9
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad, Sport 3 pitches
Iron Maiden Middle Mother's
 10
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad, Sport
The Persistence of Loss Wolfmother's
 7
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad 3 pitches
The Main Vein Cave Buttress
 4
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Trad, Sport 2 pitches
Alacrity Middle Mother's
 9
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Sport
Flight Without Wings Upper Mother's Buttress
 5
5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b Trad, Sport
More Classic Climbs in Mother's Buttress »

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