Suggested Page Improvements to South Buttress

A nice little route with two really nice pitches. This description is for the 5.8 variation, but the route goes at 5.6 also.

Approach: Walk up a well worn trail toward Cirque Lake from the Climber's trail to the west side of the south shoulder. Two well worn trails will cut off to the right to gain the shoulder. Both are about the same exposure and class 3 at most. Continue up the south shoulder until it steepens past class 3.

Pitch 1: Either climb a direct 5.6 start to gain the ledge where the fun climbing begins or cut around to the right of the south shoulder to do some 4th class climbing to start. Some will want to rope up for the 4th class climbing to get to the start. If climbed the direct start, walk around the large ledge to the right to a right facing corner system. If did the 4th class scramble, the right facing corner should be directly above once you gain the ledge.

Pitches 2-3: Climb the right facing corner for one REALLY long pitch or two more reasonable length pitches to the base of the K-cracks which are two cracks for the last pitch that look more like an X.

Pitch 4: For the 5.6 variation head down and left to a dihedral. For the 5.8 variation, head straight up the fine crack (wide to start, then hand/finger). Can either climb the left of the K-cracks for 5.8 or climb the right variation from a little bit lower down for 5.8+. Climb above the rap station to belay from a nice ledge.

Finish: scramble up fairly easy class 3 terrain to the summit

Descent: rappel down the K-cracks and then to climbers left of the route. Clean and replace old tat at the anchors as needed as you go down. 3 rappels with a 70m rope reaches each anchor. A 60m will require some easy but exposed downclimbing to reach the next rap.

A great shorter route with three really nice pitches.

Approach: Walk up a well worn trail toward Cirque Lake from the Climber's trail to the west side of the south shoulder. Two well worn trails will cut off to the right to gain the shoulder. Both are about the same exposure and class 3 at most. Continue up the south shoulder until it steepens past class 3.

Pitch 1: Climb the grove to the right of the ridge crest to a ledge, continue right and then up to another big ledge. Or, start straight up the ridge apex from the base and traverse right to the big ledges. It is worth considering breaking up this into a couple pitches as the rope will bend all over and sight lines are broken (~45m)

Pitch 2: Climb the right facing corner/hand crack to an obvious large ledge on the left (~30m). *Some descriptions advise to extend this pitch further, but this is by far the most comfortable belay stance.

Pitch 3: Exit to the right off the ledge and climb the cracks in the right facing corner to the large ledge at the base of the K Cracks (~50m).

Pitch 4: For the 5.6 variation head down and left to cracks that lead up to a dihedral (rap station is at the base of the pitch). 

For the 5.8 variation, head straight up the fine crack (wide to start, then hand/finger). The left of the K-cracks is 5.8 or climb the right variation from a little bit lower down to the right for 5.8+. Climb above the rap station to belay from a nice ledge.

Finish: scramble left a little, then straight of a ramp/gully to the summit (easy class 3)

Descent: Scramble back down 3rd class to raps starting at the top of the K-cracks. Line of raps is climbers left of the route. Rap anchors are all new bolts/rings from top of K cracks down. Rap 1 ~30m, Rap 2 ~32m, Rap 3 ~25m, Rap 4 30m. A 70m rope or the use of two ropes is easiest to rig. A single 60m rope can be used with some creativity (Carabiner block offset from middle with the tag line side extended w/ cord) or with the use of alternate rappels, though much of the old tat anchors have been removed at this point.