Direct North Buttress

The entire route entails some challenging but very fun diverse climbing. The crux 10.b lies on the Seventh pitch. It is definitely a Classic and must DO!

Approach: Scramble up the right side of the pedestal (3rd class) to the bottom of the route.

P1(5.9, ~100'): Climb ~30 feet of blocky 5.6, then head up the crack just left of the arete. Belay at the "ear".

P2(5.10a, ~100'): Climb the crack straight above the "ear". Fun face moves to link crack systems. Belay at ledge.

P3(5.9, ~100'): Continue up, traversing left on the obvious sloping ledge below the orange lichen-covered bulge. Belay at the base of the "Triple Cracks".

P4(5.9, ~120'): Climb the "Triple Cracks". This seemed like the physical crux of the route. Stance belay just above the obvious alcove. The rock below the alcove is somewhat loose, there is a thin crack just above the alcove that's solid.

P5(5.8, ~100'): Take the center of 3 cracks above the alcove. The left one looks like a wide lieback, and the right one is a splitter (but grainy) thin crack. The one in the middle takes the path of least resistance. After ~50', head left up a couple of rampy lieback sections (not the splitter hand crack directly above). Belay at a large ledge below a right-facing corner.

P6(5.10b, ~120'): Climb the crux dihedral. Stiff off the bat, then eases up. Below the smaller summit block, head left up an offwidth/chimney/stem with a large fixed cam in it. Belay at large ledge.

P7(5.7, ~50'): Head up/right through a small notch, then follow the right-slanting crack system on a slab below/around the larger summit block (the huge one that's obvious from the approach). Belay on another large ledge.

You're now on the summit ridge (~500'). The climbing along the ridge is inobvious, and is definitely not 3rd class, more like mixed 4th/5th class. Lots of gendarmes and large pillars to navigate. We ended up following the ridge proper for ~200', downclimbing to the right of the ridge, then heading straight up through blocky 5.6ish climbing to the summit plateau.

Descend Class 2 via the West Ridge to the Col between Merriam and Royce. Then proceed down to Camp. There may be a snowfield below the col, depending on time of year.

This is a Backcountry Trad route with ZERO fixed gear.

Gear List:

Nuts, doubles up to #2 C4, single #3. An additional 3 if you have small hands.

60m rope