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Rattlesnake Buttress
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Routes Sorted
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200 Motels 
Approach Pitch 
Back Up Singers 
Cactus Cooler 
Eureka! 
Pictures of Home 
Roy's Route 
Taken for Granite 
Test Pilot 

Rattlesnake Buttress 


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Administrators: C Miller, Adam Stackhouse, M.Morley, Sam Vanderhyden, Tom Erickson
Submitted By: AJ on Apr 14, 2003

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What's New
  Print a Mini-Guide with routes

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BETA PHOTO: Rattlesnake Buttress is on the lft in the shade.

Description 

A smooth gray face at the top of Rattlesnake Canyon. Taken for Granite (5.8-) and 200 Motels (5.8-) are visible from the car, both are super.


Getting There 

Hike up Rattlesnake Canyon 20-30 minutes until the canyon turns right, directly below the crag. Continue in the wash a bit, then scramble back up and left to the right end of the crag, near Test Pilot. (There is a steep drop off just below the main buttress.)


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Rattlesnake Buttress:
Taken for Granite   5.8-     Trad, 1 pitch, 120 feet   
200 Motels   5.8-     Trad, 1 pitch, 110 feet   
Eureka!   5.12a     Sport, 1 pitch, 100 feet   
Browse More Classics in Rattlesnake Buttress

Featured Route For Rattlesnake Buttress
Bobby P. on Eureka.

Eureka! 5.12a  CA : Joshua Tree National Park : ... : Rattlesnake Buttress
This takes the smooth face a ways left of 200 Motels/Taken For Granite that passes over a small roof/overlap midway up. Sustained climbing with a distinct crux is played out on high-quality stone far better than the usual Indian Cove oatmeal. Not too far from the car, but far enough away to get a feel for the wildness that Rattlesnake Canyon has to offer. Well worth a visit for this or one of the other fun routes on Rattlesnake Buttress....[more]   Browse More Classics in CA


Photos of Rattlesnake Buttress Slideshow Add Photo
Rattlesnake Buttress. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

BETA PHOTO: Rattlesnake Buttress.
Photo by Blitzo.


Water chute on the approach to Rattlesnake Buttress. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Water chute on the approach to Rattlesnake Buttres...

The same view with better lighting

The same view with better lighting

A view of Rattlesnake Canyon from the base of Rattlesnake Buttress. <br /> <br />What a beautiful canyon ;with intermittent pools of water, streams, and handsome rocks. <br /> <br />One of my favorite canyons in J.T. <br /> <br />4/08/08

A view of Rattlesnake Canyon from the base of Ratt...

Another shot looking North towards 62/29 Palms highway from Rattlesnake Buttress.

Another shot looking North towards 62/29 Palms hig...

Red= Taken for Granite <br />Blue= 200 Motels <br />Green= Back-up Singers <br /> <br />Orange= Easy Walk-off <br />

BETA PHOTO: Red= Taken for Granite
Blue= 200 Motels
Green= Bac...


Rattlesnake Buttress on the left, Dune on the right. <br />Photo by Blitzo.

Rattlesnake Buttress on the left, Dune on the righ...


Comments on Rattlesnake Buttress Add Comment
Show which comments
By Anonymous Coward
Jan 4, 2004

A bit more approach beta: This buttress and its outstanding cracks are visible from many points in Indian Cove. It appears as a blank face with a set of two cracks, reminiscent of the "K cracks" of Pingora fame. The approach hike takes approximately 35-45 minutes from the Day Use Area and trailhead for Rattlesnake canyon. The approach is the crux of these climbs. Scramble up wash, past slickrock slabs, potholes, pools, and narrows to the main part of this wild, spectacular canyon. After some time walking through the wide sandy canyon above the slickrock and narrows below, arrive at a distinct, house-sized boulder (on your left) with a detached flake in front of it. At this point, leave the main canyon bearing left, up a faint gully, staying right of the buttress. At this point Rattlesnake Buttress will appear to be above and slightly to your left. Follow your nose through the boulders, keeping your eyes peeled for cairns.The approach is somewhat tedious, but your persistence will be rewarded. Careful cairn-following leads to the base of both Taken for Granite and 200 Motels.

By richard border
Mar 6, 2012

There are now cairns leading the way from the wash to the face. Brutal approach but beautiful climbing. Bring snacks!

By Trad Nanny
Dec 28, 2012

I've been on way worse approaches, for JT standards it is a bit much I guess, but still worth it.