Northwest Buttress of Powell

Currently, this is a new school mixed climb, meaning that it does not go to the top of the buttress. It ends just under a large loose flake that we felt uncomfortable climbing around, under or trundling. After the flake, it looks like there would only be another 20 ft of hard climbing. In part, this is being submitted to encourage someone a little bolder than us to top the route out.

Start at the base of the buttress a little left of the corner at a V groove. Climb the V groove (if you're lucky it'll have a little ice in the back). Continue on nebulous mixed ground and belay. Another rambling pitch should reach the base of the corner. Next, climb a fun shorter pitch to a slung block in an alcove low in the corner. The final, crux, pitch climbs the steep corner to a fixed belay below the flake mentioned above.

4 rappels will get you to the ground.

Between the North Gully of Powell and the Taylor Glacier Headwall lies a large triangular buttress. There is a huge, left-facing corner that splits the top half of this buttress. The route follows the corner.

Standard RMNP mixed rack plus pins. No screws were placed.