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SE Buttress

5.6 AI3 M4- R, Mixed, Ice, Alpine, 3 pitches, Grade II,  Avg: 3 from 2 votes
FA: unknown
Oregon > Oregon Volcanoes > a. Mt Hood > Illumination Rock

Description

Follows the steep ridge to the right of the South Chamber on the S/SE side/face of the massif.

Highly conditions dependent, if the whole route is skinned over and hard, it'll actually be very easy ice with a few mixed/rock moves thrown in. Otherwise, this seems to be one of the more commonly bailed-from routes on the massif.

Descend by rapping the "anchor" at the top of the West Gable- the prominent boulder at the farthest west end of the lower ridge (under, and to the west of, the summit ridge). It'll be festooned with 5 or 6 pieces of rope, webbing, and cord, and should still have a couple biners to thread through. Rap straight down into the South Chamber. Twins for one jump, or one 60 to get it in two.

Location

Approaching iRock from the south side, the base of the route is the prominent buttress just right of the South Chamber. If summer, the route is easily identified by the fat off-width spitting the otherwise slabbing rock at the base. In the winter, the whole base is generally rimed over- just go up and follow the prominent line.

Protection

Cracks to accept every shape and size, if summer conditions.. otherwise, short screws, pickets, thin mixed rack to 2"

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Summit
[Hide Photo] Summit
Summer conditions
[Hide Photo] Summer conditions
SE Buttress in more typical winter conditions
[Hide Photo] SE Buttress in more typical winter conditions
Route
[Hide Photo] Route
I-Rock
[Hide Photo] I-Rock
Skylight
[Hide Photo] Skylight
Approximate line in stripped summer conditions... but as with most routes on this rock, pick your path
[Hide Photo] Approximate line in stripped summer conditions... but as with most routes on this rock, pick your path

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Kyle Tarry
Portland, OR
AI3 R
[Hide Comment] I'd recommend adding an AI (alpine ice) classification to this route, as it (and other routes on Illumination) are most commonly climbed in winter with rime and ice on the formation. The Mullee guidebook calls this route AI3, which is probably a good "average" rating; could be more or less depending on conditions.

The guidebook doesn't even give this route a rock (YDS) or mixed (M) rating... Sep 20, 2018
Ryan Silagy
Portland, OR
  5.6 M4- X
[Hide Comment] Climbed this at the end of July. Fun summer time climb for any moderate climber. Bring helmets and be prepared for a chossy SOB. Apr 24, 2019
Max Tepfer
Bend, OR
[Hide Comment] As I understand it, this route finishes on the summit. (that's the way we did it) If so, rapping the West Gable is probably not the recommended move. It's relatively easy to get from the summit down and east to the raps back to Illumination Saddle which is probably better/faster than reversing the summit ridge to the West Gable. (particularly because you'll then likely end up in the shooting gallery of the South Chamber late in the day) May 3, 2025