This route was climbed in the summer of 2008 on an attempt to repeat the 1993 Colorado route. The routes may share the same first two pitches. The 1993 route moves out to the right onto the buttress crest. We were unable to figure out where the climb moved right, it could have been under the hanging snow patch, gone in a rockfall incident, or a clever traverse we did not see. In any case, the route done was enjoyable and on excellent stone.
Cross the Glacier, should be fairly low-angle. Moat may be an issue. All lengths approximate.
P1. Begin in the blocky line of face holds just left of the gulley/chimney on the left edge of the buttress. Toward the end there is a wide crack, most of the pitch is low 5th. 70m 5.8
P2. Climb up and right to the top of the snow, aim for the clean wall below a shallow L-Facing corner. 20m Low 5th
P3. Up unprotected face climbing to the corner, which has good gear (fixed LA piton in place). From the top of the crack, hard 5.10 face climbing (great gear) leads to a ledge. 30m 5.10+
P4. Face climb left from the belay, then up the perfect flakes and cracks to the pedestal above. 40m 5.10-
P5. Move down and left from the belay to a hidden corner, and work your way back up and right to a spot above the belay. 30m 5.7
P6. Left and up to the bottom of a long seam/ finger crack. Move left at the base of the crack, and up/left around a series of corners and roofs. We belayed down near the chimney/gulley. 45m 5.10
P7. Up the featured arête to the right of the chimney/gulley, then up a perfectly white shallow dihedral, undercling right, and belay. Small TCUs usefull. Some may find this pitch runout. 5.10 30m
P8. Climb left and pull into fantastic hidden finger crack in left-facing corner. Move right at the top. 40m 5.10-
P9. Traverse right along a ledge and pull up in a long corner/dihedral with two trees in it. The cracks here became mossier but good flakes and edges abound. 75m 5.7
P10 Move left into a corner choked with moss. Follow this upward ~10m until you can move left onto the amazing golden stripe of quartz. 75m 5.8
P11 Follow the golden stripe upward and leftward, near the gully/chimney again. End at a ledge and amphitheater below many overhanging walls. 80m 5.8
P12 The best option would be to move left up a finger crack/corner to the crest on the left, and follow it to the top. We went up the gully, across snow, then up a weird V1 boulder overhang and rightward to the top. 80m 5.7
Descent is via the East ridge and snow slopes to the North. Crampons and axe helpful but not mandatory depending on snow hardness and willingness to leave rock anchors/bollards.
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