The Tan Buttresses  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Page Views:  15,676. Good page?    Administrators:  Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  J. Thompson on Aug 10, 2008 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed 61° | 41° 63° | 39° 70° | 41° 64° | 39° 61° | 36°

BETA PHOTO: The Tan Buttresses are visible to the right of the...

Description 

This is the rock formation(s) that make up the north side of The Black Wall (Chicago Lakes) cirque. The Tan Butt's are very obvious from any point in the cirque. The granite can rival anything in RMNP. This formation makes up the south side of Gray Wolf Peak.

Getting There 

Start by parking at summit lake and hiking the climbers trail up Spaulding, as for The Black wall. Traverse the top of The Black Wall and hike up a short distance until a ramp/ledge system appears on the right. Leave your packs at the top of the ramp.

Hike and scramble down the ramp/ledges, leading to the base of the Buttresses.

The Classics

Featured Route For The Tan Buttresses

Damn it Feels Good to be a Hamsta 5.12-  CO : Alpine Rock : ... : The Tan Buttresses

Not that I'd know how it feels. This is the first route to the top of the tallest tower on the Tan Buttresses. It has some choss, but the crux pitch is great steep crack climbing on mostly excellent rock.1) Climb into the corner system and follow it to a grassy ledge shared with the first pitch of Dog Fight. Follow a ramp up and left until your rope or rope drag requires you stop. 5.9.2) Continue up and left along the ramp until a pleasant dihedral is reached. Belay at the top of the dihedral be...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO

Photos of The Tan Buttresses Slideshow

Add Photo

BETA PHOTO: General photo of the Tan butt's. The white dots sh...	Trundling a death block. Photo by Dan Gambino.	Climbing great terrain on the Tan Buttress. Everyt...
the buttress from the approach ramp	morning light on Tan Buttress	alpine thistle (Cirsium scopulorum)
Like clockwork at noon the t-storms roll in.	Indian paintbrush (Castilleja occidentalis)	alpine spring beauty, Claytonia megarhiza
parting shot of the buttress	Gentianodes algida	I think this guy was scoping out a route on the Ta...