Sentinel Buttress

A fantastic introduction to leading trad in North Carolina.

P1

Starts at the foot of the buttress and heads up to the Crow's Nest (many variations). Terrain is easier to the left side of the face but gear placements are more plentiful to the right. Choose your adventure.

P2

Walk onto the big ledge on the west side of the buttress. Follow the obvious notch for 90' of cruiser climbing and good exposure, traverse right and up under the bulge to top out. Walk off or rap back to the Crow's Nest (a 60m barely makes it), and then to the ground.

The first pitch of this is actually on (below) the Circus Wall, and serves as the most common approach to

Zoo View

and

Bimbo's Bulge

. Start directly below the Crow's Nest.

Nuts, cams to #3, tricams for horizontals are nice but not required. Gear anchors for both pitches. Pack plenty of long slings and extend your placements, especially on the first pitch.