Brewer Buttress

Brewer Buttress is an excellent easy multipitch with good rock, great views, a straightforward descent, and fun climbing. All belays are fixed with bolts.

Pitches are described as per the topo given below.

40m, easy fifth. Follow broken rock up and left. In my opinion this was the only bad pitch on the route.

30m, 5.5. Continue to a belay on a large ledge on top of the pedastal.

55m, easy fifth. Follow a break up and right past a station to a belay on top of a small ledge. These pitches are typically linked.

35m, 5.5. Climb up a broken wall to a good ledge and a belay anchor. Continue left along the ledge around the corner and belay there.

30m, easy fifth. Climb up and right to belay at the base of a left facing corner. Belay here or link with pitch 7.

25m, 5.6. Climb to the top of the corner and move right to the belay.

25m, 5.5. Climb another left facing corner to a ledge.

P9: 40m, 5.7. Climb a right facing corner over a bulge. Continue up the corner to a belay.

20m, fourth class. Climb easily up a slab by wall to a belay at the base of a steeper wall. This pitch can be linked with the previous one.

P11: 35m, 5.6. Climb up through a steep section then more easily to belay at a good ledge.

P12: 40m, 5.6. Climb up a corner then move right onto a steep wall that leads to the top of the cliff. Finding an anchor at the top of this pitch is difficult, as is hearing your partner.

35m, 15m. Follow the corner to a belay, then climb the short wall above to the top of the cliff.

Either approach to the upper cliffs is viable for Brewer Buttress. Though the hut approach is probably quicker overall, I find the Rockbound Lake approach to be more enjoyable. See the Castle Mountain page for details on both of these approaches.

The Hut approach

Brewer Buttress is visible from the hut as the last buttress before the Eisenhower Tower.

From the hut on Goat Plateau, follow the trail east along the base of the cliff until you reach a bay on the right side of the buttress. A belay bolt marks the start of the route.

The Rockbound Lake approach

Alternatively take the Rockbound Lake approach to Eisenhower Tower and from there follow the trail along Goat plateau from right to left to reach the start of the route.

Rappel Descent

A new rappel line was added in 2025, providing an arguably safer and more pleasant way to descend. 

Note:

• All directions are climber's left or climber's right.

• All stations are Fixe rap anchors.

• 12 rappels with a single 60 m rope.

Access: From the top of Brewers Butress, walk right (East) 50m along the ledge. Look for cairns

that show the top of the first rappel, as well as a single ring bolt anchor 25 m back from the lip

on a large block that can be used to access the top rappel station.

Rap 1: (27 m) Rap straight down from the anchor at the top of the cliff edge to ledge with an

anchor on the left.

Rap 2: (30 m) Straight down, aiming for an anchor that is a few metres to the right of a large,

obvious ledge.

Rap 3: (24 m) At first, rappel over loose, lower-angle ground, aiming to stay on the prow of the

ridge. Once in the steeper terrain, look for an anchor along a small ledge on the right.

Rap 4: (28 m) Straight down steep terrain to a large ledge system. The anchor is on the prow.

Rap 5: (28 m) Down the left side of a block just below the anchor, then down steep terrain to

some ledges. Continue down lower-angle terrain on the right side of the ridge. The anchor is on

the left at a good ledge.

Rap 6: (18 m) Down the gully on the right side of the ridge/prow. Anchor on the right at a good

ledge.

Rap 7: (20 m) Rap down the gully. When the gully turns right, continue straight onto the prow at

the top of a steep face. Anchor is on a ledge at the top of a steep corner.

Rap 8: (30 m) Rope stretcher and committing. Down a steep face to a slanted ledge. Anchor on

the left.

Rap 9: (18 m) Down and slightly right to a small ledge on a steep, clean face. Anchor on the

right.

Rap 10: (27 m) Straight down a steep, clean face to a good ledge.

Rap 11: (30 m) Rope stretcher. Straight down in the direction of the lowest visible white

chockstone to a ledge. Anchor on the right.

Rap 12: (20 m) Rap down chossy terrain into the gully.

Walk and scramble easily down the gully for a couple of minutes to reach the Goat Plateau trail

leading back to the Castle Mt Hut.

Scrambling Descent

To get down, walk WAY west to reach a large low angle scree gully. The walk is likely farther than you'll think. The correct gully is typically marked with a large cairn or multiple cairns.  Descend a loose trail until the gully narrows, where the first rappel anchor is found to skiers right.

A mix of climbing and single rope rappels leads to the base of the gully and Goat plateau. A single 60m rope is sufficient.

A small rack of nuts and cams is sufficient. Bring long draws. When we climbed it we had double ropes, and I would recommend this to avoid rope drag and to facilitate retreat in the event of a storm or accident.