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Northeast Buttress
5.8+,
Trad, Alpine, 1200 ft (364 m), 14 pitches, Grade IV,
Avg: 2.3 from 3
votes
FA: Mark Weigelt and Julie Brugger, 1970
Washington
> Central-E Casca…
> Stuart-Enchantm…
> Colchuck Peak
Description
Kearney and Beckey have different starts. The first 4 pitches below represent the Kearney version:
P1: From the lowest point of the buttress, gain the rock and head for wide, broken cracks (5.8)
P2: Reach the crest of the buttress below a big headwall (short pitch)
P3: Down-climb from the crest about 15 feet, then work up and right on ramps to a vertical seam, then back left to a ledge (5.7)
P4: Get into the main dihedral and pull a series of tougher moves, including a shallow chimney. This pitch is a bit dirty. (5.7-5.8)
--The Beckey and Kearney versions meet here--
P5-8: Rising traverse on ledges (5.0 to 5.5)
P9-10: Head up the wall, gaining a left-facing corner and running it to the ridge crest (5.8-5.9)
P11-12: Ascend the buttress crest, traversing right onto ledges and getting to the base of the headwall (5.6)
P13: Traverse right on ledges underneath big blocks to the North-facing aspect under a dihedral (low 5th)
P14: Follow the dihedral and then blocky terrain to the summit plateau (5.6)
Location
The prominent buttress just South of the NE Couloir. Approach via Stuart Lake Trailhead and the Colchuck Lake trail, ascending the moraine and Colchuck Glacier.
Protection
Gear to 3 inches; doubles .5 to 2 were handy
Leavenworth, WA
The approach involved some easy crevasse negotiation.
The route was fun! The rock mostly good, with I'd say only one pitch being a "throwaway" - that being the long bushy traverse. Stepping off of the snow we immediately had great rock quality and a cool line, gaining at the lowest point of the buttress. A good adventure. Apr 25, 2019