The south buttress of Moran is an amazing climb with pitch after picth of beautiful granite. SBR trends up a crack system working right up the wall. (5.8) First pitch leads off from a triangle shaped rock up a corner system, and up over a bulge onto a well sized ledge. (.9)Second pitch wanders through a right facing corner with good hand jams and jugs, and a liebacking leading into a ramp up and right to a belay below crux pitch. (.11a -smallest cams to 0"-.25") Work into corner past pitons, making insecure lieback moves around corner and up slab past another piton and up to/past optional belay, where you can either stop or continue on up through small roof to belay under even larger roof (last pitch is often broken into two). From belay work up towards roof breaking right to the beginning of great traverse. Taking advantage of gear you find on the way and watching for rope drag, traverse right along small wavy ledge systems for 70ft+/- and belay below hand crack on small block. (.10a) Work up crack past piton, up and through V-shaped roof to large comfortable ledge. (.9+) Go right along ledge 30 Ft and head up broken rock to old bolts leading to top of climb and first rap anchor.
Location
Approach: Stay low along the creek in Leigh Canyon until you can begin to identify the two large ledge systems on your right angling west on the bottom of the south buttress of Moran. Once directly below these ledge systems take a right and climb scree field until parallel with the bottom of Laughing Lion falls (good place to stash gear). Books talk of additional first pitch if you choose, for gaining second ledge. I personally think its best to just scramble up first ledge and through 4th class terrain to second ledge and locate the beginning of the route. Descent: After reaching the top rap begins by heading right towards the top of Laughing Lion falls, next goes right again at the break col to large ledge where anchors are hidden from view on hard left, down again and find large steep gully system on right which finally funnels you and anything else you kick off down two or three more raps to large ledge where you began route. Last rap is on the far east end of ledge and brings you right back to where you stashed your chocolate chips and beer.
Protection
For crux 3rd pitch bring all the small stuff 0"-.25", and a solid mountain rack up to 3" will work for the rest, a few long runners and two ropes to get off. Most rap stations are bolts or something adequately slung. Time: 8-12hrs PS. Great bivy sites on creek in Leigh Canyon just below scree field, watch out for bears.
Photos of South Buttress Right, Mt. Moran Slideshow
The crux felt like 11c to me, but it was wet. COnsidering this is normal, I'd go 11c. I didn't have any, but blue aliens or gray metolius would have worked great. THe scars are not deep.
The traverse pitch is amazing.
The bolts on the last pitch are there for mental support and its solid 5.10 slab. Be careful.
The top rap or two descends to the right. Don't get sucked into continually going towards the falls as the stations get worse and worse until the are balanced blocks on a dirt ledge and pins that can be removed by hand. I think at the bigger ledge, like tow from the top, go down and left... seems like thats where we went wrong.
Rock quality and exposure is outstanding, as is the more remote feel and canoe in.
Crux pitch has lots of fixed pins that seemed solid. Straightforward french free for our party w/ smaller c3s or equivalent.
Agree w/ earlier post. Tough slab moves with old bolts.
As for descent, no bolted rap stations (that we found). In fact one was backed up with a yellow c3. Save some daylight for descent and watch your ends (obviously a good idea anyway to get early start for decent temps for last 5.10 slab w/ sunny exposure).
As for the rack you can leave the 4 at home. Doubles of everything up to #3 for us worked fine.
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