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Pineapple Thunderpussy

5.9, Trad, 200 ft (61 m), 2 pitches,  Avg: 3.6 from 79 votes
FA: Jim Kanzler, Doug Randall, 1977
Montana > Southwest Region > Gallatin Canyon > E Side > Pineapple Buttress

Description

This is an awesome climb! The crux is 2/3 the way through the first pitch. An airy roof traverse that seems scarier than it is. The rock is suprisingly awesome. This route is a true test of your mini roof climbing abilities.
P1.Climb the dihedral through the pineapple colored rock to the first roof. Veer left around the roof and continue 15 up a beautiful vertical crack on the north face until you acquire a small ledge (the guidebook says "placing good belay anchors here requires thought" is a very astute notation).
P2. Climb straight above ledge until possible to traverse right to arete.

Location

This route is located on the northwest corner of Pineapple Buttress.

To find start scramble up gully north of buttress until above first short tier.

Descent: Rap anchors are located to climbers left. Two 35m rappels get you to the ground.

Protection

Typical trad rack. No fixed gear and you make your own anchors.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Almost to the pitch 1 belay.
[Hide Photo] Almost to the pitch 1 belay.
PTP
[Hide Photo] PTP
The corner on the first pitch.
[Hide Photo] The corner on the first pitch.
Jeff J. on P2. Route goes up through another great crack, traverses slightly right, and finishes on more good crack. Taken from top of Watchtower.
[Hide Photo] Jeff J. on P2. Route goes up through another great crack, traverses slightly right, and finishes on more good crack. Taken from top of Watchtower.
Top of pitch 2 on Pineapple
[Hide Photo] Top of pitch 2 on Pineapple
P1
[Hide Photo] P1

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Ty Gittins
bozeman
 
[Hide Comment] i recall placing a crucial purple tcu on the second pitch, which made things exciting. Apr 25, 2011
Bud Martin
Bozeman, MT
[Hide Comment] Great route, Canyon classic. Straightforward 5.9 climbing that actually protects well. Aug 19, 2011
Ty Morrison-Heath
Bozeman, MT
 
[Hide Comment] Fun! Got a few perfect handjams on the way up. Save a .75 and #1 Camalot for the anchor on top of the first pitch...otherwise expect to be belaying off micro gear and a sorta iffy nut. You do have a BOMBER #3 placement about 6 feet below the anchor station if your anchor were to fail..... Jun 13, 2012
Nic Lazz
 
[Hide Comment] Should be rated 5.10a/b because this route is harder than Tigger across the canyon. For the first belay, just put an anchor above your position. Crux is below the big roof with the two smaller roofs. Jul 12, 2012
Dana Prosser
Boulder
[Hide Comment] One of the best routes at Gallatin!! Aug 18, 2013
Matt Wenger
Bozeman
  5.9+
[Hide Comment] This route might be my favorite in the entire canyon. Phenomenal crack climbing the entire way, lay-backs, undercling roof traverses around airy aretes..oh my! Save a BD #1, 0.75 and a small nut for the 1st belay in the pod. The roof and arete moves are so much fun. Beautiful bomber hand jam right around the corner after the arete move. 70m rope doesn't quite get you back to very bottom, dumps you out right by the big tree, easy down climbing. Jul 27, 2014
Andrew Whitmore
Montana
 
[Hide Comment] Fantastic route. Grab a 70m rope, a double rack and climb it in one pitch. That is the only way I've done this route since first climbing it in 2004.
As for the rappel, its been in since 2011. It was installed on "Penny's Pineapple" to alleviate the intense climber caused erosion on the walk-off of Pineapple. The chains were donated by T. Kingsbury. I've been meaning to get back and add a station down lower (so much to do). Sep 27, 2014
Fink Fink
Jackson, WY & Bozeman, MT
  5.9+
[Hide Comment] Added a 2 bolt rap anchor near the sketchy 3" cantilevered tree. Two raps with a 70m get you down with all bolt anchors now. It's conceivable that a 60 might work (perhaps with a few feet of downclimbing to the ground), but I cannot personally verify this.

TL;DR: two ~35m raps off bolt anchors is the recommended descent Jul 30, 2015
Skyler Mavor
[Hide Comment] Thumbs up on the rap route, thanks to those that equipped it.

It pays to be mindful of where the rope is running, especially if linking; there are a couple places near the end of the first pitch where the rope can get pinched in the crack and cause debilitating rope drag. Jun 6, 2017
Brad Burns
Story, WY
  5.9
[Hide Comment] youtu.be/6xdslsM6aDo Sep 26, 2023