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Early Access
Routes in Sundance Buttress
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Adrenaline T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a R |
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Banana Peels T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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Betwixt'em T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
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Bonzo T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b |
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Bushes T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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Cajun Capers T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R |
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Chain of Command T,S 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c |
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Covert Action T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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Curve Grande T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b C1 |
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English Opening T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a |
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Eumenides T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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Firebird 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a C2 |
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First Lady T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b PG13 |
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Grapevine T 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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Great Roof Bypass T 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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Guillotine, The T 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b |
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Hemp Necktie T 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c |
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Hurley-Neri T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b |
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Idiot Wind T 5.10b/c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b |
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Jet Stream T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b R |
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Kor's Flake T 5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c |
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Last Gasp T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b |
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Laura Scudders T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b R |
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Mainliner T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
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Mr. President T 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b |
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Nose, The T 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b |
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Precipitation T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a C2 |
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Progression T 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b |
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Scrotum Totem T 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c PG13 |
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Sidetrack T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
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Slim Pickens T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b |
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Sundance Buttress | 2650 T 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a |
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Turnkorner T 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b |
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Turnkorner Direct T 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b R |
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Under the Big Top 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
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Under The Sundress T 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c |
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Upside Down Race Car Kitty T 5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a PG13 |
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Whiteman T 5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a |
| Type: | Trad, 900 ft (273 m), 6 pitches, Grade III |
| GPS: | 40.41269, -105.5516 |
| FA: | Michael Covington, Billy Westbay and Doug Snively, 1975 |
| Page Views: | 19,312 total · 62/month |
| Shared By: | Jesse Ryan on May 12, 2001 · Updates |
| Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
Access Issue: 2026 Seasonal Raptor Closures lifted
Details
From the Denver Post 7/21/24: some of the raptor closures have been lifted, officials announced.
Upper & Lower Twin Owls, Rock One, The Book and access trail, Bookmark, and Left Book were opened based on a park new release.
Closures have been extended for Thunder Buttress, access trail, The Parish, Cathedral Wall.
Closures above the Loch Vale-Sky Pond trail have been extended.
Per Brent Frazier: the raptor closures have been lifted in the Lumpy Ridge and Loch Vale Areas ( nps.gov/romo/raptor-closure…)
Each year, Rocky Mountain National Park initiates temporary closures in certain areas of the park to ensure that birds of prey will be undisturbed during their breeding and nesting seasons. These closures begin on February 15 and continue through July 31, if appropriate. Monitoring by park staff and volunteers have determined that all remaining closures can be lifted on July 28, 2023.
Per Matt Coghill: the Golden eagle nesting activity has extended Lumpy closures through Aug. 15, 2022 on Sundance, Thunder Buttress, and Needle Summit!
Per A.Eaton: the raptor closures have been lifted as of 6/4/2022 at Lumpy for the following formations:
Twin Owls
Rock One
Batman Rock
Batman Pinnacle
Checkerboard
Lightning Rock
Per the Denver Post: as of Feb. 15, 2022, Checkerboard Rock, Lightning Rock, Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Sundance, Thunder Buttress, The Parish, Bookmark Pinnacle, The Left Book, Bookmark, Twin Owls, Rock One, and the Needle are closed for raptor nesting. These closures will continue through July 31, 2022 if needed.
All areas [were] OPEN to climbing for the 2021 post July season.
Closures ending July 31:
Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Lightning Rock, Checkerboard Rock - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Sundance - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
The Book Area: Left Book, The Bookmark, Bookmark Pinnacle, and the entire Book formation (including Renaissance Wall, Isis Buttress, Pages Wall Area, and J-Crack Slab Area)- nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Thunder Buttress and The Parish - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Twin Owls and Rock One - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Cathedral Wall - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
When closed, the closures include the named rock formations and the areas surrounding the base of the formation. This includes all climbing routes, outcroppings, cliffs, faces, ascent and descent routes, and climber's access trails to the formation.
Areas not listed are presumed to be open. These closures will be lifted or extended as conditions dictate.
Access Issue: Sundance Buttress is no longer closed as of Spring 2025
Details
I only bring i…
: Sundance is no longer closed. See nps.gov/romo/upload/Lumpy-R….2019 Seasonal closures are in place. Check with Backcountry Office (970-586-1242).
RMNP
6/12/15
K.Patterson 970-586-1363
Sundance Buttress Closure Added Other Closures Removed Or Continued
To Protect Nesting Raptors in RMNP
Each yr to protect raptor nesting sites, RMNP officials initiate temporary closures in the Lumpy Ridge & Sheep Mountain areas of the park. To enable wildlife managers to gather info and ensure that raptors can nest undisturbed, specific areas within the park are closed temporarily to public use during nesting season.
Due to raptor nesting activity, Sundance Buttress in the Lumpy Ridge area has been added to the closure areas. The following sites will remain temporarily closed until further notice - Alligator Rock, Twin Owls, Rock One, Sheep Mountain, & now Sundance Buttress. These closures include all climbing, approach and descent routes for the indicated formations on all sides of those formations.
The following closures have been lifted - Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Checkerboard Rock, Lightning Rock, Thunder Buttress, No Name and Parish. The National Park Service is committed to preserving birds of prey. The same cliffs that attract raptors also appeal to climbers. The cooperation of climbing organizations and individuals is essential to the successful nesting of raptors in the park.
Kyle Patterson
Public Information Officer/Management Specialist
RMNP
(970) 586-1363 nps.gov/romo facebook.com/RockyNPS
Description
This is another fun Sundance route. It starts to the left of Mainliner, climbing a shallow, right-facing crack just left of a left-facing flake.
P1: (5.8+) Climb a thin left-trending finger crack in the corner as it fades. Work left past incipient seams and runout face climbing to a small ledge below a slot.
P2: (5.9) Follow the left-facing crack with interesting jams up to and over a small roof and belay on a ledge below and to the left of a wider crack. (Some parties link pitches 1&2.)
P3: (5.8) Follow the wide crack to another belay ledge.
P4: (5.6) Follow an easy crack system just left of the crux pitch of Mainliner (6) or move right to join Mainliner. Climb to a good ledge.
P5: (5.9) Climb straight up a steep thin crack just left of Mainliner, into an A-shaped roof. Wild stemming and jamming surmounts the roof. Belay on a nice ledge above. This is likely the best pitch of the climb. (Beware of continuing rightward onto Mainliner (as we did, and had to make a sketchy traverse left back to Sidetrack.)
P6: Climb rightward on easy ground to join Mainliner. Climb a slot up to a belay ledge.
Eds. Below is an updated description with the complete route (not joining Mainliner).
Per Greg D: when the approach trail reaches the buttress, continue up and left for another 100 yards or so to where the trail tends to level out and just begins to head downhill. Locate an old, large, downed tree stump that has fallen to the right (east). 20 feet left of this tree stump is a left-arching, featured finger crack. Start here.
P1: (5.8+, 75 ft) Climb the left arching finger crack which is tricky but well-protected. When the crack ends, continue up and left on easier face climbing to a stance below the crack/gully system.
P2: (5.9, 80 ft) Climb the crack/gully system on the left (there is some vegetation and it is sometimes wet). Exit the gully/crack system to the right onto cleaner rock via a finger crack. Turn the roof on the left. Continue up to a generous belay ledge. (Some parties combine pitches 1 & 2.)
P3: (5.8, 100 ft) Climb the wide splitter crack to a nice belay ledge.
P4: (5.7, 90 ft) Climb a crack system up and left to a good ledge.
P5: (5.9, 100 ft). Climb the obvious but steep and thin crack up and slightly left, heading towards what appears to be a steep finger crack but actually is a hand crack topped by a small A-shaped roof. Place good gear before and after the roof, because gear will be harder to find after this point. Wild stemming and jamming surmount the roof. Belay on a nice ledge above.
P6: (5.7) Climb rightward on easy ground to join Mainliner. Climb a slot up to a belay ledge. (Some parties combine pitches 4, 5 & 6).
Descent:
Head right on 4th class terrain. You may need to scramble slightly down and east to a notch. Find a small tree with slings. Do three single rope rappels from trees with slings. Note: a 60 meter rope doesn’t reach the second tree, but some 5.0 or easier climbing will get you to it.
Protection
Standard rack.
Per Greg D: bring a standard rack with a few RPs, TCUs, and a 4” cam for pitch 3.
Photos
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