BETA PHOTO: The three faces of Tilogy Buttress. Most routes st...
Description
Trilogy Buttress provides some of the best multipitch sport climbing in Rock Canyon. Routes extend from three to four pitches on moderate to difficult grades as you ascend over 600 feet of quality rock.
Located in the lower canyon, Trilogy calls to you to leave the top roping crowds behind and experience a bit of rock climbing adventure.
Getting There
To get to the base of the Trilogy routes head up the main large scree slope and drainage located to the east of Super Bowl Wall on the right side of the water tower. As you look up the scree you will see that it forks about 500 feet up. The buttress rising out of the fork is Trilogy. The main routes start on the left side about another 100 feet up the left fork.
Descent
The standard way to get down from Trilogy Buttress is to walk off west. From the top, find the obvious trail that heads northwest, which then turns west at the top of the gully that lies to the west of Trilogy. Follow this west, down the west face of Squaw Mountain until reaching the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. Follow the wide path south to the Rock Canyon parking lot.
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Trilogy Buttress:
An exciting route with stimulating exposure throughout, a roof that’ll get your heart pumping, and a rousing, slightly runout finish over a roof with broken, thought-provoking rock. The protection is good, but with the exposure and all the slack in the rope from the beginning traverse the urge to not fall is strong.Start from one of two belay locations: a single bolt if you climbed the 5.7 2nd pitch route, or a double-bolt belay if you climbed the 5.8 2nd pitch route. W...[more]Browse More Classics in UT
I climbed this buttress with Lee on 27 Oct 06. I would not agree this formation has great rock quality on the lower section as you have to choose your holds carefully and frequently brush away the loose pebbles. The rock does get more solid and cleaner as you approach the top. The real fun is found on the highest section with lots of empty air below your feet.
There is a better 1st pitch up and around to the left. Keep going up the gully to the left of the lowest prow and look for a great slab with a bolt line on it. Much better climbing and very well bolted 5.8 up the the same 2nd pitch.
On a November morning four of us had a stellar outing on Trilogy Buttress. We climbed each pitch in tandem on parallel routes so we went essentially as fast as a single pair of climbers, but it was quite a bit of fun for all four of us to be up there together. A highly recommended way of doing Trilogy.
Although it started as a cold morning in the shadows, as the sun rose above the ridges to the south it warmed us as we started up the pitches on the upper wall and was a glorious, beautiful day. Climbing at its finest.
Just so you know, at this point in time, there is no easy/safe way to rap off. When you get to the top of the third pitch, there is only one anchor. Be ready to hike off.
By Perin Blanchard Administrator From: Orem, UT Nov 21, 2008
If I recall correctly, the only actual rap anchors (with rings) are at the top of the two uphill first pitch routes. The anchors at the top of the Trilogy face are a single bolt and hanger for each route. Edit: Jim Knight has added a second anchor bolt and hanger for each of Lord of the Slings, Frodo Lives, and Shadow and Flame.
I'll note that some people have rapped the final face to do one or more additional routes on the face before walking off.
The upper pitches on Trilogy were intended to be walk-offs. Rap if you wish, just prepare to leave long slings. Midway ring anchors are found on Frodo Lives and Shards of Narsil for belay/bail options.
The last face on Trilogy Buttress makes the lower pitches worth it, no doubt about it! Used 2 sixty meter ropes to rap off the top of the highest anchors with no problems.