Buster Brown

Sorry, forgot to snap a picture of this one :-/. In my opinion this is the best looking and climbing route on the wall! Jul 29, 2012

For me, this is the hardest climb on the crag. It took me a lot of tries to make the first redpoint ascent in June 2005. I returned in 2011 to repeat the route, & it took me 9 tries over 5 days to repeat it. I have a much easier time repeating "Major Dude", "Brass Monkey", or "Double Dominatrix", which I have done many times. "Buster Brown" has some small footholds and a tiny crux edge handhold. There are some precision moves on this sustained, vertical face. It is a forearm endurance route with technical climbing. The hard climbing starts with a tricky traverse, followed by a beautiful dike. A thin crux leads to an underclimg. The second crux ascends a discontinuous finger crack. The final redpoint crux is just having enough forearm strength left to make the last thin face moves and reach the top of the juggy flake. One of my favorite vertical face routes. Sep 25, 2012

Does this route have a chipped hold? It looks like one, feels like one... kinda leads me to think it is one, which detracts one star from the quality.

I wonder if that move would go without it. I think it would, but bump the grade up a letter or two. Apr 21, 2014

This route is some seriously fun face climbing! The crux sequence is extremely reachy for me but definitely doable even at 5'1". Very technical, but positive holds all the way. Definitely get on this route if you are here. Feb 9, 2015

This route looks as good as it climbs. It arcs to the right on an orange splash of granite on very thin, technical face holds. Some of the best face climbing I've ever done. The crux is for sure just linking the intricate and involved moves on the headwall together, there isn't any really single hard stopper move. A classic in my book.
Phil, are you talking about the first crimp on the headwall? The one that you match on to begin the low rightward traverse? Major bummer if this is chipped. Maybe Mr. Rolofson will enlighten us.... Oct 5, 2015

Huh, that was dumb of me not to pinpoint it. I think we're talking about the same one, Brett.

Great climb nonetheless. Nov 3, 2015

Awesome route, closer to 13a than 12d. Amazing vertical climbing, first 6 bolts are a good warm-up. Do it!

I am also curious about the possible chipped hold... the small crimp you match before traversing onto the face at the 6th bolt. I agree it could probably go without it, but it would be much more spicy. Mark, will you shed some light on this? Aug 12, 2017

Perhaps the most pleasurable sport climb I've been on. It was an excellent recommendation from some friends. Thin, technical and sustained. Multiple mini-cruxes with no showstopper crux except the building pump. Do it in the shade. Excellent climb for a first 13a. I was sad when it was over. I want more. Aug 14, 2017

Consider skipping the 7th (?) bolt (the one before the undercling flake). It's a bit unnecessary, just pumps you out, and you can clip the 8th bolt from the undercling with the 6th one just below your feet.

Really good route, amazing, technical face climbing. I highly doubt it's 13a. I don't have enough experience at the grade to be sure, but maybe I was just having a really good day.... Dec 2, 2017

This was so much harder on redpoint than I expected it to be after working the individual moves. If your endurance is great, you might find this to be a bit soft for 13a, but it felt pretty close to 13a to me :) Sep 4, 2018

Fun, technical route. Several unnecessary bolts. I have climbed many 12+ routes harder than this one. Sep 25, 2018