Northwest Buttress 

I want to hit this route next summer. If anyone could give some pointers or a heads up for what to look out for, that would be awsome, thanks.jayci

Wear a helmet.

If the wind is roughing up your tent in the morning from the pass.... Don't bother hiking to the base. Do the Knife Edge and go home!

Capitol's NW Buttress is one or maybe two stars. A beautiful sight, like Mt Morrison in the Sierras, but too rotten.

7/12/2008: The summit and descent on Capitol are really cool too. It's good.

That's a fair assessment Ken is making. The mountain/route is very characteristic of the Elk Mtns... as in it is loose... however, different strokes for different folks. Thankfully, where the route is hardest is also where the rock is the best, on the first pitch that is.

This route is great fun, as long as you can handle the choss. The first pitch would be classic if it was at any crag. After that, expect some loose, but easy climbing. We simuled everything but the first pitch and the 5.7 roof pitch up high. This is a good mountaineering route in the Elks, and you'll most likely have fun if you look at it as such.

A friend did a route on the southeast side of the mountain that he said followed good rock the whole way, but I don't have any further details.

You don't need a #4 Camalot on this route, unless you want to carry extra weight. the wide section is easy, and, anyway, it is too wide for #4.

Just did this route this weekend. The first 2 pitches are wet, really wet water running down the 9 crack at the top of p1 and water gushing out of the chimmney.

With that said, what a route. It is long, loose and chossy. It just keeps going and going. We had snow on every pitch, loose rock everywhere.

This route is not for the faint of heart. Every pitch is S and some are VS all 5.6 and above. The descent would be hell for a party that did not know it and could be consdered the hardest part of the route:).

There is no one route of this buttress. Just use your route finding skills and try to keep the easiest and cleanest line. Simul-climbing could be done on some of the pitches but we opt-ed not to for safety reasons. Simulclimbing with no gear in between you since all gear is in choss and nothing is really bomber is not a good recipe for safety - you mine as well just each solo it. On average, I would say I got 2-3 bomber pieces in each pitch and 4-6 so so pieces.

Do not take this route or this mountain lightly. But if you are prepared - it is quite the accomplishment.

I was about to disagree with Michael about the 'R' rating, but...I do remember climbing a bit of loose choss where I am not so sure gear would have held. That said, most of the loose stuff is on terrain that is pretty darn easy, and you should be able to carefully (and safely) dance your way up stuff.

I would disagree that overall the gear was not good. Except for the 4th class section (maybe 400 feet or so) right after the crux opening pitches and maybe a 50 foot section (mentioned above) getting onto the ridge proper in the middle of the climb, the gear is pretty good. I never had problems finding good gear and good anchors. If some of those pitches were at the crag, then sure they would get an 'R' rating, but this is the mountains (The Elks for that matter) which kinda implies that you have to watch what you touch, though this route does have WAY more crap rock than up in the Park.

The first couple of pitches, a couple in the middle, and the final headwall (i.e. all of the parts with any real technical climbing) are solid enough. Everywhere else is definitely scary loose choss (some of it BIG). Two stars because the line is so compelling and combined with the great descent makes for a great outing, just don't expect a clean climb (if it was, I would give it 4 stars).

I would only submit that just because the climbing is easy does not mean it is not 's'. I never had problems finding gear either but it was because as you stated the climbing is really easy for the most part. I did not stop to look around and only took what was staring at me in the face.

My post was simply meant to warn people that were hoping to climb this route where 9 was their limit and who were not comfortable running it out on 7s. I see more and more of these type of people in the mountains everyday. "Oh, I climb 5.10 at the sport park, let's go do NW Butress, it's only 5.9" :)

Dawson's 14er guide has a useful topo for the route. As described, you ascend the 4th class ramp to the right of the Unicorn Tower and then continue up more ramps down and below it to get higher. This side of the buttress has very steep cliffs and an arete. You can penetrate the arete at several points via low 5th class climbing from the ramp.

Echoing Michael's comments about the rating, it is a very psychologically demanding route with the loose rock and seeping water.

When I climbed this route in the '80s, I was at the belay near the top not paying attention to the weird, popping noises. When my partner Mark Venery got near me, there was a loud crack. He jumped on me and the belay, and where he had been a rock the size of a VW bug landed spraying us with shrapnel. We were sooo lucky that day, not even a helmet would have helped. I shook my way up the rest of the climb. I remember the lower pitches as quite nice but overall loose rock.

Good memory, Max - I remember that day well. That was the first time I had the strange, stinging taste of metal and copper in my mouth. We were lucky, no doubt.

I remember the bottom 2 or 3 pitches as being the best quality climbing on the wall, some traversing 5.9 hand cracks? Anyway, that was a great day, for sure.

Do you guys have any idea where the rock peeled off from?

Anybody been up this summer yet?

So, I've never been on this route. Looking for beta for a January or February ascent. Do any of you guys who have already climbed it have any thoughts on how it would be with big boots and ice tools?

The main thing I remember from doing it ('98 or so) was that it was loose, on-the-fly sort of climbing. We had a rope get chopped by falling rock. I'm not sure if snow would help keep it together better, or if it would just prevent you from being able to see landmines. If you haven't done the route before (as well as the descent), it might be a good idea to do them both in good conditions and make some mental notes.

My gut feel is that it would be pretty hairy.

Yeah, I agree with the above ^^^^^+++

I'm also thinking that the approach could be epic, that's a pretty long ways in. I'm imagining breaking trail, whether on skis, shoes or postholing could be an arduous task, and then the real fun begins! (guess I'm just an old wimp)

I almost commented on the aproach, but I didn't want to admit to myself how out of shape I am these days when it comes to approaching something, but yeah, it would probably be pretty rugged.

Brian,

Old roomate here:) I have been wanting to do a winter ascent of this for some time. Let me know if you need a partner. I just climbed it this summer and have a good memory of it all. Climbing wouldn't be tooooo bad. Pro was limited on everything above the first two pitches which could prove exciting with crampons on but never harder than 5.6-5.7 so.... Descent could be the most exciting and time consuming part. Approach would be long, even on light skis, and dangerous as you cross a few avalanche paths. Timing is everything! I believe Mike Kennedy did this in Winter once and might be a good source of info. A fair bit of logistics. In a day????? :)

Hey Ryan- Good to hear from you! Hell no, not in a day. You must be in great shape these days.
Thanks for the beta. Since I've never been up there, it sounds like a good idea to get up there together - onsighting the walk off will probably be an adventure. I already floated the idea with one buddy (another old roommie from the Gillaspie days- remember Steve?), but if he bails, I'll letcha know. Are you around Boulder? For some reason, I thought you were in Jackson.
Do y'all think the approach will be fairly obvious without a packed trail?

Brian,
Yeah, definitely remember Steve. Those were the days:) I'm in Carbondale now. There are actually a few approach options. Two different trails up the valley to the lake and another approach from the Snowmass ski area side that comes up to the ridge of K2 then drops into the lake. This second option may be better in winter, since it get's more travel typically. This year is a fluke with the snow conditions, and not many folks are venturing out due to danger. Up the Valley to the lake would require skiing first to the summer parking lot then heading out of the lot on the "Ditch trail" at the high end of the parking lot. This trail traverses the right side of the valley eventually dropping in. You'd probably just pick the path of least resistance and avy danger. Would be a bit hard to do in the dark if you've never been there but otherwise obvious. Doubt there would be much of a "trail" anywhere. Email me for phone number if you wanna talk.

Ryan- I know winter's almost over, but if you still think you might be into this, shoot me an email. Brian@magnoliabuilding.net.