Miracle Route

The description below, found in NMSU archives, was created by the legendary Southwest Mountaineers. It is at a minimum twenty years old, but likely dates as far back as 1970’s. The rock itself may have changed since that time. The rating system certainly has. For comparison, the Davis Route is listed in the same document as 5.3 and Boyer’s Chute as 5.2. So please treat what follows as a rough guide to an adventure, not as a solid and current info. If you do climb the route, sharing of what you learn would be appreciated.

Approach and climb as in Awful Buttress to the Bivouac Ledge, but now continue to the right and traverse around the corner, dropping down a few exposed feet to do this, onto Surprise Buttress. Run out the rope and camp securely on the top of a little spur. The next pitch moves to the right some 10' and then up over a short vertical stretch, courtesy of some miraculous handholds. Traverse left up and across a smooth slab just underneath a giant loose flake. Around the corner you find a wide, smoothish chimney, which is best done by getting onto its right wall. Then continue on third class rock to the "spacious level area" at the top of the Awful Buttress. The Miracle Route has been varied by going directly up in an at-first-easy gully at the corner between the northwest face and Surprise Buttress. This runs into some hard chimneys above. It joins the Miracle Route at the "wide chimney" mentioned above.