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Routes in Bell Buttress - Main Crag
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Arms Bazaar T 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a R |
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Beethoven's Fifth T 5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b PG13 |
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Bell Air T,S 5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a |
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Bell Buster S 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c |
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Bell Buttress Blitz T 5.12+ 7c 28 IX 27 E6 6b PG13 |
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Choss-Daggers T 5.12a/b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6a R |
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Cosmosis T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a |
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Daedulus Direct T 5.11c/d 7a 24 VIII 25 E4 6a PG13 |
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Double Jeopardy T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
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Epiphany T 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a R |
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Epiphany Direct T 5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b R |
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Freak on a Leash S 5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c |
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Front Line T 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c PG13 |
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Frontier T 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c R |
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Gates of Eden T 5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a |
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Grand Inquisitor T 5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a R |
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Headwall T 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b |
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Hound Dog S 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c |
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Joe Pontiac T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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Minos Right T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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Mystery Arete S 5.12+ 7c 28 IX 27 E6 6b PG13 |
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North Face T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a |
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Pitts, The T 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c |
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Purpose, The T,S 5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b |
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Route That Dan Missed, The T,TR 5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b X |
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Saved by the Bell T 5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c |
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Spoiled Moose, The T 5.13- 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E7 6c R |
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Spoils, The T 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b |
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Three Minute Hero T 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c R |
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Tiempos de Ceguera (Times of Blindness) S 5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c |
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Tiers T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b |
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Unknown T 5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a |
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Unknown Crack T 5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a |
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Verve S 5.13c 8a+ 30 X- 31 E7 7a |
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West Crack T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a |
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West Face T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a |
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Wrinkles T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
| Type: | Trad, 2 pitches |
| GPS: | 40.0011, -105.413 |
| FA: | Ament/Mayrose, 1964, FFA Ferguson/Poling, 1970 |
| Page Views: | 27,149 total · 89/month |
| Shared By: | Charles Vernon on May 31, 2001 |
| Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
Access Issue: Seasonal raptor closures for 2026 - Bitty Buttress, Blob, East Blob, Security Risk - open. Eagle Rock, Vampire, Black Widow Slab - closed.
Details
The USFS closed Blob, E Blob, Security, Bitty, Vampire, and Black Widow through 7/31/26.
5/19/25 Eagle Rock opened. 3/14/25: Bitty Buttress, Blob, & SR reopened.
2/3/25. Bitty Buttress, Blob, Eagle Rock &, Security Risk closed for raptors.
FS (3/27/24): Eagle Rock & Security Risk are now open!
2/1/24: W. McCurry: USFS annual closures in Boulder Canyon as of 2/1/24 - Blob Rock, Bitty Buttress, Eagle Rock, Security Risk.
W. McCurry: 2/10/23 Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security Risk opened. Eagle Rock is closed - info: fs.usda.gov/detail/arp/news….
W. McCurry, NFS, Arap./Roo. NF: USFS began annual closures in BC 2/1/23. The closures: Eagle, Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security.
Through 7/31/23, the closures protect golden eagle nesting territory. Happy Hour, Bihedral & Riviera will remain open as long as visitors stay out of the closed areas.
The Boulder Ranger District with BCC monitors nesting progress & informs climbers re: giving eagles space to raise young.
Fed. & state laws prohibit disturbing any nesting bird of prey. Visitors help protect wildlife by respecting closures. Signs are posted at key access pts into the closed areas. Closure info: fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/eagles.
K. Armstrong, Public Affairs Specialist, Nat'l Forest Service: as of 6/8/21: BC areas reopen after unsuccessful nesting.
K. Armstrong, NF Ranger 7/29/20: following a 5 mo. closure to protect nesting eagles, the Roosevelt NF reopened Eagle Rock.
“The BC eagles successfully raised 1 strong & healthy eaglet this year,” wildlife biologist Aurelia DeNasha, USDA FS. “2 chicks hatched initially, only 1 survived to fledge, which isn’t uncommon in birds of prey.”
Visits to the nest did not reveal the exact cause of death of the 2nd chick, but climber cooperation with closures are crucial to the eagles.
“Golden eagle pairs are most susceptible to disturbance when choosing a nest. These closures allow the birds to pick the best site for survival without impact of other factors, such as human presence. Once chosen, nest sites stays closed until the eagles fledge in late July,” said DeNasha.
After the eagles’ site selection was made, unused areas opened in Apr.
The annual nesting closures include popular rock climbing spots at Eagle, Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security.
Through 7/31/20, the closures protect a long-established golden eagle nesting territory. Happy Hour, Bihedral & Riviera remain open as long as visitors stay out of the closed areas.
It is against federal & state law to disturb any nesting bird of prey. Only employees, volunteers, & wildlife professionals under an agreement with the FS enter nesting areas for monitoring purposes. This is for the integrity of nest & the safety of the eagles, those conducting surveys, & the public. Visitors help protect wildlife by respecting all closures & leaving immediately if you should accidentally enter one.
For the most current closure information, check signs in the areas, call the Boulder Ranger District office @ 303-541-2500, or visit local climbing websites or fs.usda.gov/recmain/arp/rec….
4/21/20, Blob Rock, East Blob Rock, Bitty Buttress, & Security Risk are open. Eagle Rock stays closed until 7/31/2020 confirmed with Matt Henry, Rec Prog Mgr, FS.
K. Armstrong, FS Pub Aff, katherine.armstrong@usda.gov, 970-222-7607: 3/20/19, Blob, East Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security are open. Eagle stays closed to climbing & other activities through 7/31/19.
See - fs.usda.gov/recmain/arp/rec….
Perennial notice:
Eagle, Blob, Bitty Buttress, & Security will close 2/1 - 7/31 for nesting. Depending on updated information, the closure time can be shortened/lengthened.
Each year, BC raptor nesting area closures are in effect starting 2/1 through 7/31 at Eagle, Security, Blob, & Bitty Buttress. The area is monitored & closures are periodically lifted early (due to no active nest, nest site failure, or early fledging). This monitoring program is a partnership with the FS Boulder Ranger District, BCC, & Audubon Society. Check back periodically during times of closure for updates. More info at fs.usda.gov/recarea/arp/rec….
Description
This is one of Boulder Canyon's best moderate routes, although a new guidebook gives the route 5.10a--watch your definition of moderate. Most people do the first pitch and then rappel (one rope) from 2 new bolts.
Bell Buttress is split by a large chimney. The left half offers several right-facing corners; Cosmosis is the large right-facing corner, about 70 feet high, which overhangs at the top. Shortly right of it, the wall bends inward to the large chimney. The second (or third) pitch finishes in a large, left-facing corner above. The route is further identified by the beautiful bolted arete just to its left - Verve - though there are a lot of bolts on this cliff.
It should be easy to cross the river on a huge tree that lies across it. Cosmosis is directly above, but broken 5th class bars access to the start. Go left on a path, then back right when feasible up a ramp that leads to the ledge going under the base of the route.
The crux is the thin bottom section (site of a small, chalked up flake), solved with interesting stemming. More excellent stemming lead to the beautiful hand crack finale. Belay from bolts just above the corner.
Eds. Do not think of The Route That Dan Missed as a reasonable alternative finish. It does not have bolts!
Rappel, or continue up a crack, up easy but unprotected face, and then back right into a large, left-facing corner to the top-- a very long pitch, rated 5.7-5.9 depending on where you go. Descend SW and then go down when feasible. Or look for rappel anchors east of the finish. Rappel from there, bypasses another set about 50' down and far left. Find a somewhat hidden intermediate station about 80' down. From there, rap to the trail.
Photos
![Keller cleaning up the [Cosmosis]. A super fun route.](https://mountainproject.com/assets/photos/climb/108663869_smallMed_1494292305.jpg?cache=1701318379)
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