The Viewing is an excellent face climb on the right side of the Coffin Buttress. This climb is often toproped from the anchors to the right of the Coffin Crack, which avoids some big runouts between bolts. To do this, set a TR after climbing the Coffin.
Climb the fingery 5.9 opening to the Coffin (or traverse in from the left). Keep going up the Coffin until a traverse right is possible above a black chickenhead. This is above the first two bolts and piton on the right for the climb "Closed Casket". Then follow the thin edges up past 4 bolts to a set of chain anchors.
Descent) Rap with one rope (60m is preferable) back to the ground. A 50m rope might be a stretch.
Protection
Small cams and nuts for the start, same as the Coffin. Then 4 or 5 bolts to a set of chain anchors.
Yeah, the direct start to the Viewing is called the "Closed Casket Variation", and is somewhere in the low to mid .11's
By Dave Budge From: Wasangeles Sep 30, 2005 rating: 5.10a
Four stars. Great route. Direct start is in-your-face tough, probably 5.11ish.
By Nathan Fisher Administrator Mar 1, 2006 rating: 5.9+ R
Fun lead, well worth doing. I felt it wasn't a 5.10a, but a 5.9+, as the edges are so positive. Maybe in the old days when you were climbing with that runout above 1/4"-er's, it felt more like a 5.10a.
By Texaswall From: Salt Lake City, UT May 15, 2008
TR'ed this route today after leading Coffin Crack. I agree it's a fine face climb, and in my humble opinion, it's all of 10a. Granted, that rating might be consistent with LCC standards, but LCC standards for friction (and face) seem to be stiff. What I find a little strange is that crack ratings seem to be more in line with other crags across the country. My 70 year-old partner, a man that has climbed with some greats and in a lot of locales (including a lot in the Wasatch), agrees. At a minimum, as he stated after starting the climb, you should be a SOLID 5.10 leader to take on The Viewing.
Coffin Buttress
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