Shune's Buttress 

Great route. The gear list is about right on, except that you probably only need triples in the #1-#2 friend range. Maybe because I wasn't firing on all cylinders yet, the 1st pitch seems like the crux of the route. There is an 11a variation which starts around the corner to the right, but it doesn't look nearly as good as the 11c way. Considering its dramatic nature, the 5th pitch may be the best pitch I've done in the desert.

Overall, I found this to be a more physically demanding route than Monkeyfinger... there is certainly more 5.11 on this route. Also, the 2nd and 3rd pitches are strenuous, wide, and long. The double rope technique above isn't completely necessary on pitch 4, but may be warranted if the leader is sketched by the crappy 1st bolt (the crux is protected by the good bolt) and wants the protection afforded by the rap anchor above. To protect the follower if single rope technique is used, the leader can always backclean the gear down to the 2nd bolt.

Though this is a quite good hot weather route, it isn't in the shade all day. The route has a lot of eastern exposure, so the upper part of the route sees a lot of sun during the high-sun months (May to mid-August) in the morning until a little past noon-1pmish. There is definitely no insentive in an alpine start, since you'll want to hit the upper part of the route while it's in the shade.

What an outstanding route! Every pitch was great!

I did not find the above described double rope technique on the traverse to be necessary. I climbed the chimney, clipped the old bolt and equalized it to a stud (using a wired stopper). Between these two protection points I had confidence to climb the "not very hard" moves to get to the next bolt which was bomber. From here you come to the traverse moves and have the choice of going low or high. I went high and the moves were very reasonable and not at all scary. After pulling the traverse it is 25 feet or so of much easier climbing to the anchor. The swing potential for the follower is minimal since the belay is so much higher than the traverse.

I took a similar rack to that described above and would make a few modifications. If I were to do it again I would take singles of the smallest TCUs/Aliens then doubles of everything else except for the #1 Friend/0.5 Camalot size which I would take 3 of for the spectacular 5.11 pitch up high. The #5 Camalot I found to be truly "optional"; I placed it but it was hardly necessary. If doing it again, I would take either 2 #4 Camalots or a #4 and #4.5 Camalot.

Admin Note: This was the description Dave Goldstein posted for Shune's Buttress, though the route was incorrectly posted as being on Spearhead. Both Shune's Buttress entries are great and complement each other, so I am posting it here.


Deserves its burgeoning reputation as a North American classic. Varied climbing, sound rock and no throwaway pitches. It faces north and can be enjoyably climbed in very hot weather.

This route is not on The Spearhead; it is across the road, on Red Arch Mountain. If a separate area is created for Red Arch mountain, this route description should be moved there.

Historical note: the town is named after Shunesburg a small village which used to exist near the base of the buttress.

Approach: Get off the bus at the grotto picnic area. Walk east and north through the picnic area for a couple of hundred yards until you intersect a creek which descends just to the north of Red Arch Mountain. Follow a fading trail east up the creek (starts on the south side of the creek) for a few hundred yards, passing some concrete structures. Eventually this trail fades to nothing at which point you head up the slopes to the south of the creek to the base of Shunes, following a trail if you're lucky. Shunes starts in a prominent, left-facing conrer; the trail contours to the right of this corner, traversing back left at the base of the wall. Approach time from bus stop: about 20 minutes.

P1: 5.11c, 150'. Some warm up. Starts w/ 10' of easy wide then 80' of thin laybacking to a ledge w/ two drilled pins where a belay is possible but not preferred. A moderate wide section (#5 Camalot helpful) leads to a cruxy thin section w/ nut pro and a fixed anchor at a ledge. Not too bad for the rating.

P2: 5.10, 50+m. We went straight up moderate corner cracks for about 120' to a ledgey area and a cave like feature at the back of which is a bolt. Above this is a few feet of 5.10 offwidth which is a real pain if you clipped the bolt. There is a fixed anchor and a hanging belay about 20' above the OW. There is a 5.10 variation which leads to the cave on the right. Might be a good idea to break either variation into two pitches.

P3 5.9, 150'. Continue up the corner crack system, mostly hands and chimney, past a rap station on the left to a non-fixed belay on a ledge in chimney about 20' below another rap station.

P4 5.11-, 50'. We coverted from hauling to double ropes for this pitch. If you use double ropes, the following description should provide a serene experience for both the leader and follower; with a single rope someone's going to be gripped. Climb up the chimney and clip the fixed anchor w/ one rope. Downclimb back to the belay and traverse left onto the face and clip an uninspiring 1/4" bolt with the 2nd rope. Climb straight up (facey, about 10-, a couple micro cams), reach left and clip a 2nd, better bolt with the 1st rope. Downclimb partway to the first bolt and traverse left (crux) about 10' to an arete and easier ground. Go up about 20' to a fixed belay/rap station on the right of the arete. After the 2nd bolt, clip only a single rope (probably doesn't matter which one) to eliminate big swing potential for the follower.

P5. 5.11c, 110'. On the Indian Creek five star scale, this pitch gets at least five stars -- non stop action, full-on exposure and just enough rests to allow you to savor the experience. Make an unlikely traverse left around the arete to gain a crack which leads up through a roof and headwall. The crack starts as green aliens, widens to #1 Friends below the roof (tech crux), 1.5 Friends at the roof (mental/endurance crux) and hands beyond. Once above the roof you can catch you breath, admire the straightshot view to the ground and contemplate the sinuous handcrack in the concave headwall above. Romp up this (#2 & 2.5 Friends) to a hanging belay at a pod; there is a bolt at this belay which is backed up with hand sized pieces. Rack: omit the nuts and pieces bigger than a #3 Friend; bring everything else.

P6: 5.9, 110'. Continue in the crack which now diagnals left with many Red Rocks like face holds to a cozy nook.

p7: 5.8 70'. (No problem linking this and P6). Same as P6 but shorter and easier. Once at the top, walk 20' through bushes to establish an anchor in poor rock.

Descent: From the 7th anchor, walk right/south 20' to a rap station. NOTE: the 1st two raps do not go down the route -- the route is rejoined at the station just above the 3rd belay. R1: Rap straight down from here for about 150' to a bolted station on the face.R2: About 110' angling left to the slings above the 3rd belay. There is a good stance here.R3: Coil one rope, the rap with the other (_100') to the anchor (completely hanging) on the left face in the middle of pitch 3.R4: Another single 60M rope rap to the hanging stance at the end of P2.(R3 and R4 can be combined into a single 50+M rap, but doing this seemed to us to significantly increase the risk posed by rope eating cracks on these raps.)R5: Resume DOUBLE rope raps, 50M to anchor at end of first pitch.R6: 150' to ground.

This route seems like a soft grade IV, before you do the rappels.

One of the best routes in the desert! Awesome and sustained. The OW pitch is fairly burly for "5.10"... The upper splitter pitch is spectacular! Take care on the rappels and treat yourself to a cold brew and meal at "Oscar's" in Springdale afterwards.

One of the best routes I have done in Zion and a 5 star route for anywhere!! I would endorse the Goldstein ratings, see route description above, for the crux pitches. Don't be intimidated by the 11+ ratings stated in the initial route description post. Since Evan is a 5.13 climber he probably can't tell the difference between 11c and 11+. It all feels 5.easy to him. 11c is probably closer to correct. Unless you do it in the heat. Like my buddies Dave V and Dirk H. Then's it probably 12 something.\;o)

The roof to splitter headwall pitch is amazing. It's got such incredible position, exposure and is such a beautiful pitch. Enjoy this one, its a gem!!

Amazing Route...Agree with the above comments. Having done this one and Monkey Finger I also agree that this route is the more difficult and strenous of the two. It certainly requires a wider range of skills. Be very careful on the raps...stuck ropes can be a big issue on this one.

A good climb. I actually puked after following the crux! I'll spare the details.