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SE Buttress

5.9+, Trad, Alpine, 10 pitches, Grade III,  Avg: 4 from 37 votes
FA: 07/1973
Washington > Okanogan > Pasayten Wilder… > Cathedral Peak

Description

SE Buttress 5.9 **** III (9-10 pitches)

A fine crack climb, following the ridge behind "The Monk" (semi-detatched feature on the lower right side of the South face). 

Route Description

P1 5.8+ Start up a crack behind a short chimney block which becomes a LFC, then around a roof to the left. Great climbing which becomes grainier at the top where you can choose between a short OW to the left or nondescript but easier cracks to the right. 45m
P2 5.8 Surmount the steep chockstone in the chimney and after 10m, exit to the right and up some more juggy cracks to a stance. 15m
P3 5.8 Somewhat awkward but juggy hand cracks to a ledge, then stem and jam up excellent twin finger cracks. Mantle out of the corner system, step right to a short wide crack, then take twin finger cracks for another 5m. Anchor takes tight hands pieces.
P4 5.8 Climb short discontinuous steps up and left. Step right to a short LFC with twin cracks. Cimb a juggy dike with limited pro. Protect follower, then traverse left on the sandy ledge to a handcrack in a RFC.
P5 5.8+ Climb the RFC to a cruxy mantle, then ramble up ledges to a chimney on your right. Atop the chimney, protect your follower and traverse left on the sandy ledge to a finger crack.
P6 5.7 Climb the finger crack, then walk ledges left to a broad open book feature. Above, work through 3rd-4th class terrain up and a little left, and choose a belay anywhere in this area.
P7 5.6 Continue up discontinuous easy terrain, aiming for the left side of the headwall. One chimney or handcrack move gains the ledge. If linking 8-9, conserve anchor gear for your next lead
[It's highly recommended to link P8-9 into a phenomenal 55m 10a pitch, which skips the only semi-hanging belay on the route.]
P8 5.9 A tricky move down low earns a solid medium sized cam. Follow obvious double crack system to the major horizonal break (optional belay). If linking, sling gear liberally high on this pitch. 25m
P9 5.9+ Stepping rightward, choose between a wide crack and finger crack further right. Where they end into a horizontal break, trend left to access the left side of a big dance ledge. Anchor is hand sized cams, recommend extending. 30m
P10 5.8 Two short steps of fun hand crack with a ledge on between leads to the 3rd class summit. ~20m


Descend the ridge to the west from the summit. Shortly after the infamous jump across, traverse into a gully briefly, then cross back up and over the ridge to your left. Continue descending west, then south down loose slopes to the trail.

Location

Begin to the left of The Monk and climb the ridge and buttress on right side of the South Face.

Descend by to the West by the walk-up route.

Protection

A wide selection of nuts and cams (up to #3 Camalot). A single #2 and #3 works well. For the offwidth on P9, a single #4 and #5 will suffice.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Route Overlay SE Buttress.
[Hide Photo] Route Overlay SE Buttress.
Pitch 8.
[Hide Photo] Pitch 8.
The 1st headwall pitch and possibly the first traffic jam ever on the route
[Hide Photo] The 1st headwall pitch and possibly the first traffic jam ever on the route
The section on the descent that you either jump across or downclimb an exposed section a bit to make an easy step across. In the photo Janet is doing the downclimb rather than the jump across.
[Hide Photo] The section on the descent that you either jump across or downclimb an exposed section a bit to make an easy step across. In the photo Janet is doing the downclimb rather than the jump across.
Cathedral Peak as Seen from the East on the Trail (SE Buttress follows the left edge from this angle. The upper pitches can be seen in this photo.)
[Hide Photo] Cathedral Peak as Seen from the East on the Trail (SE Buttress follows the left edge from this angle. The upper pitches can be seen in this photo.)
Cathedral Peak from Upper Cathedral Lake. SE Buttress on right skyline.
[Hide Photo] Cathedral Peak from Upper Cathedral Lake. SE Buttress on right skyline.
The Southeast Buttress climbing route as viewed from Amphitheater Mountain
[Hide Photo] The Southeast Buttress climbing route as viewed from Amphitheater Mountain
Pitch 4 starts somewhere in here.
[Hide Photo] Pitch 4 starts somewhere in here.
Pitch 1.
[Hide Photo] Pitch 1.
Pitch 1.
[Hide Photo] Pitch 1.
Offwidth on Pitch 9. Most climbers bypass the offwidth for a fingercrack about 4 feet to the right.
[Hide Photo] Offwidth on Pitch 9. Most climbers bypass the offwidth for a fingercrack about 4 feet to the right.
Looking down Pitch 9. Climb the offwidth or fingercrack.
[Hide Photo] Looking down Pitch 9. Climb the offwidth or fingercrack.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Steph Abegg
Estes Park, CO
[Hide Comment] Awesome climb. One of the best moderate alpine climbs I've done in the Cascades. Aug 1, 2016
Chase G
Salt Lake City, UT
  5.10a
[Hide Comment] What a great climb! Gabe led most of the pitches and even following I found most of the pitches to be pretty damn vertical and stout.

Regarding beta, Steph Abegg's photos and description on her site are incredibly detailed and got us through the route pretty easily.

I put the route at 10a due to the first 2 headwall pitches (p8 and p9). The start of the first headwall pitch is flaring, delicate climbing that seemed to be a touch more than 9+. The second headwall pitch has the great 10a finger crack that should be part of the standard route topo because no one should be crazy enough to haul BD 4's and 5's 20 miles to do the offwidth pitch (*cough* Jordon...) Aug 15, 2018
[Hide Comment] This thing is a classic - pitch after pitch of great climbing in a stellar location. And the approach means there's no line to get on it!

P9 finger crack is super fun, plenty of rest and felt easier than the strange flaring cracks on P8. Feb 22, 2019
Zachary Winters
Winthrop, WA
  5.10a
[Hide Comment] Added the above route description for those seeking more info. The only bit of fixed gear on route is 1 old piton on P8, but I've cleaned a fair amount of tat off this route and have heard of lots of bail gear being left on route. Remember this is a wilderness area, so chose your weather wisely and please leave no trace. Aug 30, 2020
sean w
Seattle, WA
  5.9+
[Hide Comment] This is a fantastic climb, Steph's beta was really helpful for staying on route. The moves off of the ledge on P8 felt harder than anything on P9 to me. Really fantastic crack climbing the whole way up this one. Jul 14, 2021
Rio H
Seattle, WA
[Hide Comment] Great route, tunneling inside the chimney and through the chockstone on P2 was fun. Be wary of ropes going over the numerous ledges with loose rock. Speaking of which there's a huge tombstone shaped flake at the end of the quartz dike ready to peel off. Sep 6, 2021
Grant Adams
  5.9
[Hide Comment] This is a great route and worth the hike in. It is super well protected and approachable (you can essentially top rope yourself up any of the harder pitches, including P8). Doubles 0.2 to 2 and a single 3 and nuts sewed it up. P8 is stellar and I wish the fingers on P9 were longer! Sep 3, 2024