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Routes in The Pawn
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Direct South Face T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a C1 |
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Earth , Wind and Fire Dihedral T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a C1 Easy Snow R |
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En Passant T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
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Path of the Argonian T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a |
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| Type: | Trad, 800 ft, 7 pitches, Grade II |
| FA: | Jonathan & Brian Smoot 2009 |
| Page Views: | 454 total · 29/month |
| Shared By: | bsmoot on Jun 14, 2017 |
| Admins: | Andrew Gram, Nathan Fisher, Perin Blanchard, grk10vq |
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Access Issue: Gate Buttress Area Recreational Lease: Climbs on Church Buttress above vault remain closed
Details
Climbers Partner with LDS Church on Stewardship of Little Cottonwood Canyon Climbing
June 1st, 2017:The Salt Lake Climbers Alliance (SLCA), the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and Access Fund announce the signing of an unprecedented lease for 140 acres in Little Cottonwood Canyon (LCC). The parcel, known as the Gate Buttress, is about one mile up LCC canyon and has been popular with generations of climbers because of its world-class granite.
The agreement secures legitimate access to approximately 588 routes and 138 boulder problems at the Gate Buttress for rock climbers, who will be active stewards of the property. The recreational lease is the result of several years of negotiations between LDS Church leaders and the local climbing community.
Access Note: The climbs on the Church Buttress above the vault that have been traditionally closed will remain closed.
Please help us steward this area and leave no trace.
Read More:
saltlakeclimbers.org/climbe…
June 1st, 2017:The Salt Lake Climbers Alliance (SLCA), the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and Access Fund announce the signing of an unprecedented lease for 140 acres in Little Cottonwood Canyon (LCC). The parcel, known as the Gate Buttress, is about one mile up LCC canyon and has been popular with generations of climbers because of its world-class granite.
The agreement secures legitimate access to approximately 588 routes and 138 boulder problems at the Gate Buttress for rock climbers, who will be active stewards of the property. The recreational lease is the result of several years of negotiations between LDS Church leaders and the local climbing community.
Access Note: The climbs on the Church Buttress above the vault that have been traditionally closed will remain closed.
Please help us steward this area and leave no trace.
Read More:
saltlakeclimbers.org/climbe…
Description
1. Scramble up easy lower angle slab to belay at two bolts.
2. Climb to base of steep corners to the right of large overhang. Follow corners (5.9) protected by several pins and make a rightward traverse past a bolt to a wide crack. Follow this to a ledge.
3. From belay ledge, move left and up to a bush, then traverse left across lower angle slab to a bolt. Climb up to a short crack and go left to an optional belay ledge or continue up bolt-protected face to good belay ledge.
4. Traverse left from the belay ledge to a bolt. Continue up to black knobs and a pin, or traverse left into a large shallow groove and corner. Belay at a large pine tree at the top of the shallow corner.
5. At the left end of the large ledge, traverse left past two bolts to the base of a wide flake that is best protected by a #4 cam. Continue up the flake and corner past a bolt to a two-bolt belay ledge.
6. Climb over a small roof to a knobby slab protected by 4 bolts. Traverse left to a belay at a large pine tree.
7. Follow rightward leaning corner and wide crack, then climb up and left on easier rotten rock to ridge top with large sandy ledge and belay at a large boulder. Descend ridge or climb to Quantum Perplexas to summit of Pawn Buttress. Descend down the ridge by an 80 foot rappel on bolts and down climb the north side of the ridge and hike a short distance to the saddle—between the Pawn and the West Pawn Buttress. Then hike down the gulley to the base of the climb.
8. From the belay at the boulder, hike up the ridge by easy, but rotten rock to a some pine trees. Just past these, follow the ridge crest past 3 bolts to a belay ledge with bolts.
9. Avoid the crack directly above by moving left. Continue up gritty rock on the last pitch of Quantum Perplexas for 190 feet on an exposed narrow ridge protected by 3 bolts to the highest summit of the Pawn, a spectacular location...great views...The elevation here is 8,900' Either down climb to the east end of the ridge or make 1-2 single rope rappels off the north side from two bolts at the summit. Hike East to a pass and scramble down the east side of the Pawn.
2. Climb to base of steep corners to the right of large overhang. Follow corners (5.9) protected by several pins and make a rightward traverse past a bolt to a wide crack. Follow this to a ledge.
3. From belay ledge, move left and up to a bush, then traverse left across lower angle slab to a bolt. Climb up to a short crack and go left to an optional belay ledge or continue up bolt-protected face to good belay ledge.
4. Traverse left from the belay ledge to a bolt. Continue up to black knobs and a pin, or traverse left into a large shallow groove and corner. Belay at a large pine tree at the top of the shallow corner.
5. At the left end of the large ledge, traverse left past two bolts to the base of a wide flake that is best protected by a #4 cam. Continue up the flake and corner past a bolt to a two-bolt belay ledge.
6. Climb over a small roof to a knobby slab protected by 4 bolts. Traverse left to a belay at a large pine tree.
7. Follow rightward leaning corner and wide crack, then climb up and left on easier rotten rock to ridge top with large sandy ledge and belay at a large boulder. Descend ridge or climb to Quantum Perplexas to summit of Pawn Buttress. Descend down the ridge by an 80 foot rappel on bolts and down climb the north side of the ridge and hike a short distance to the saddle—between the Pawn and the West Pawn Buttress. Then hike down the gulley to the base of the climb.
8. From the belay at the boulder, hike up the ridge by easy, but rotten rock to a some pine trees. Just past these, follow the ridge crest past 3 bolts to a belay ledge with bolts.
9. Avoid the crack directly above by moving left. Continue up gritty rock on the last pitch of Quantum Perplexas for 190 feet on an exposed narrow ridge protected by 3 bolts to the highest summit of the Pawn, a spectacular location...great views...The elevation here is 8,900' Either down climb to the east end of the ridge or make 1-2 single rope rappels off the north side from two bolts at the summit. Hike East to a pass and scramble down the east side of the Pawn.
Salt Lake City, UT
Salt Lake City, UT
You won't see any bolts to mark the start of P1. I'll upload a shot of my partner standing at the base of the route to give you an idea of what to look for, but just start out from somewhere along the toe (climber's left of where the trail will end) and get up and over the first overlap and you will see two pins with rings and two bolts right of that. You can rap this route with a single 70 m rope from the top of P7 if you use the last bolt on the pitch to rap (bomber, but make your own calls). Tie knots in the rope ends as most raps were close to 35 m. We rapped as the standard descent was covered in snow. It would take a 70 m to bail from most places on the route if you don't finish it, so I would recommend one.
Small gear and nuts were definitely useful, and I used pretty much everything up to #3. Didn't take a 4, didn't miss it. Because the route is sparsely bolted sometimes it can be hard to figure out where to go. The pitch by pitch description is pretty good and so is the topo, take them with you!
The book gives this route 3 stars. While I think that is very very generous in terms of the actual climbing, the position, length of approach, length of route, and views of the canyon and greater peaks made this an absolutely fantastic and memorable day out. For those qualities alone I highly recommend it, though be prepared for an adventure. Jan 15, 2018