PRINT: Rock Climb Mother of Pearl, Little Cottonwood Canyon

Mother of Pearl

5.11d, Trad, 120 ft (36 m),

Avg: 3.9 from 63 votes
FA: Ellison, Moffat FFA Bitter
Utah > Wasatch Range > Central Wasatch > Little Cottonwo… > Green Adjective Gully

Access Issue: Gate Buttress Area Recreational Lease: Climbs on Church Buttress above vault remain closed Details

Climbers Partner with LDS Church on Stewardship of Little Cottonwood Canyon Climbing

June 1st, 2017:The Salt Lake Climbers Alliance (SLCA), the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and Access Fund announce the signing of an unprecedented lease for 140 acres in Little Cottonwood Canyon (LCC). The parcel, known as the Gate Buttress, is about one mile up LCC canyon and has been popular with generations of climbers because of its world-class granite.

The agreement secures legitimate access to approximately 588 routes and 138 boulder problems at the Gate Buttress for rock climbers, who will be active stewards of the property. The recreational lease is the result of several years of negotiations between LDS Church leaders and the local climbing community.

Access Note: The climbs on the Church Buttress above the vault as well as the Glen boulders that have been traditionally closed will remain closed.
Please help us steward this area and leave no trace.

Read More:

saltlakeclimbers.org/climbe…

SLCA and AF recreational leased area on LDS Church land

Description

This route continues up and left of the anchors of Looney Tunes through shallow rounded lie backing to small stemming between seams and finishes in a strange left facing, over hanging dihedral. It may be broken into separate pitches, but what fun would that be?

Location

This begins as Looney Tunes then heads up and left to finish about 60 feet above the Trinity Right anchors.

Protection

Many small pieces with cams up to 4".
There are a few bolts, a fixed pin and a bashy on route.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Merril Bitter leading during the first ascent in 1983. Photo, Gail Ellison.

Chris Gmitro on Mother of Pearl

Paul Shilton makes his way up the finishing dihedral of Mother of Pearl.

Paul Shilton embracing the insecure liebacking of Mother of Pearl.

Chris Gmitro, enjoying a nice rest before the final moves.

Mother of Pearl on left, Badlands on right

An individual from another party (Derrick?) on Mother of Pearl.<br>
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(I have a few more shots of you if you're interested, PM me and I'll e-mail you.)

An individual from another party (Derrick?) on Mother of Pearl. (I have a few more shots of you if you're interested, PM me and I'll e-mail you.)

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

tenesmus

would two sets of smaller cams be sufficient or more? Dec 29, 2007

Past User

The book lists the grade of this route at 11c, at that it seems like one of the hardest 5.11s anywhere. Great route! Technical and insecure most of the way. As for the gear, one hand size piece, doubles up to red metolius with triples on yellow #2 metolius, tiny nut for the upper dihedral and lots of slings and draws should get you up it. Sep 8, 2008

CalmAdrenaline
SL,UT

5.12-

The upper dihedral is HARD, I agree with Bheller, one of the hardest 11s ive been on. Jun 24, 2010

T_jones
Salt Lake

Upper dihedral protects with a small nut and then a .5 after starting the committing layback. When I climbed this I wondered if all the bolts are necessary? The last one was right next to a protectable flake. Regardless, this route is a full serving of insecure, powerful laybacks and is great the whole way up. Sep 27, 2010

drewford
Wasatch Back, UT

Can be done in one long pitch from the ground, making a nice long 12a. I agree -- the bolts are excessive. Feb 5, 2011

Spencer Weiler
Grand Junction

5.11c

I have heard some say this one is harder than trinity right, but I disagree. MOP has a few hard liebacking sections, but 2 no hands rests keep the pump down, so it is not nearly as sustained as trinity, or other 11c's like gargoyle. There are 3 bolts and a fixed pin mixed with good gear on the lower 2/3 of the route, adding ease to the liebacking. The stemming between grassy seams sections is easy and fun, then the upper dihedral is by far the mental, gear fiddling crux. I found the sequence to be: Clip the fixed bashie, stem up and place the small nut, then punch it to a great finger lock and place the .5 camalot before lunging left for a jug sidepull, then pull over the easy juggy roof to the anchors. Don't be intimidated by its reputation. It is excellent, well protected climbing.

Gear I placed: #4 nut, doubles .3 to .75 camalot, one #3 camalot(backing up bashie), 10 QD's(it wanders). Bring more if linking it with Looney Tunes
70m gets you down no prob Oct 1, 2012

DoubleA
Salt Lake City

I will go +1 that this route is 12a if done in one pitch from the ground (does anyone actually pitch it out?). Considerably more difficult than Trinity Right as a total package. Oct 24, 2014

Mark Evans
Cottonwood Heights, UT

5.11c/d

This route is stout, but I don't agree with the 12.a rating if done as one pitch. And it is definitely not harder than T-Right. Different climbing, and longer, but not harder climbing by any means. There are great rests everywhere! Also, the climbing is not really that difficult, just insecure. But the sections of intense climbing are pretty short and very well protected.

The upper dihedral is tricky, but good stemming technique makes all the difference! There is only one move without chickenhead feet.

Also, I found having 3 x BD.5/orange metolius very handy. I used 2 on looney tunes, and one on the start of MOP. Oct 29, 2014

Ari Menitove

Climbed this on 5/31/2021 and noticed that the piton that used to protect the cruxy lieback section in the middle third of the route is now gone. Instead of having that pin at your waist to ankles for the hardest moves, the closest protection is a slightly tricky stopper placement about 1-2 feet lower, or a straightforward cam placement in the undercling/handjam rest a couple feet below that. Still looks like a clean fall, just a bit bigger - and a bit more difficult to dog your way through.. Jun 1, 2021

Ivanka Poopenheimer
Salt Lake City

I have the pin that was removed from the crux. My friend spotted it in the bushes and gave it to me. I guess the dude who removed it dropped it? I've heard different stories as to whether the pin removal was sanctioned or not. One story said it was removed with blessings, and the other story said threats were made to the guy who removed it as it was decided by the Lords of LCC that it should stay. When I arrived at the crux expecting the pin to be there, I was a bit dismayed. I came back a week later and fiddled in a tricky little stopper and punched it. It's a bigger fall potential now but a clean fall. I thought about pounding the pin back in to create more drama, but now it sits on my mantle. Also, the last bolt has been removed but there is great gear there so that isn't a big deal. Jun 3, 2021