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Trout-Baker Buttress

5.10, Trad, 300 ft (91 m), 3 pitches, Grade II,  Avg: 3 from 2 votes
FA: Ken Trout, Rob Baker, 1985ish
Colorado > S Platte > Wigwam Creek/Lo… > Wigwam Dome

Description

My book states; "The first pitch has good steep knobs, the second pitch is the best crack on Wigwam (not!), and the third is a bit hairy and very exposed. The rap anchor on the summit is a bolt in rotten rock backed up with a sling around a horn (of rotten rock!).

This route should have a sign like the one in the Wizard of Oz: "If I were you I'd turn back now." At least until this "buttonhead" route has new bolts.

We rapped off the overhung backside of the crumbling summit using two 50 meter ropes. Stretchy 9mm ropes that barely made it, maybe. Putting a rap route down the route, with anchors in the better rock below the true summit, would be better.

This route is an unusually good mixture of crack, slab, and exposure.

Location

About where the approach trail reaches the rock. A short, toothy, handcrack almost gets you to the first bolt.

Protection

I'm guessing doubles from purple to yellow (#2) Camalots, but some thinner cams too. One #3 Cam and wires down to #3 BD steel.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

TB Buttress is route "D".
[Hide Photo] TB Buttress is route "D".