West Buttress

This classic line has a little bit of everything: blue-collar puff-n-grunt crack climbing, delicate face climbing, and great exposure! All three pitches are stellar!

P1: (5.8++, 120') Start on top of a large boulder and climb the vertical crack system until it ends at a bolted belay.

P2: (5.8, 50') Climb the delicate face past 3 bolts to the horizontal crack and build an anchor. The next pitch starts 15' right, so build your anchor accordingly.

P3: (5.8, 130') Climb far right weakness. Make a couple strenuous moves to get established on the upper face and follow weaknesses to the summit.

Renn Fenton contemplated this stunning line for years before he went for it. He knew he would be alright if he could just get to the face climbing, but was unsure if he could climb the cracks that guard it. On the FA, no bolts were placed on the second pitch, making it yet another impressive lead in Needles history! Bravo, Renn and Don!

Start at the downhill end of the gully between Outer Outlet and Rhinoceros Rock. The gully has a chock stone the size of a house suspended between the two formations. Start on top of the largest boulder at the base of a vertical crack system on the W edge.

Refer to the map on the Outer Outlet page for route location.

One double rope rappel off the SE side will get you down.

Nuts and a single set of cams from micro to 3" with doubles from BD .75 to 2. Long slings reduce rope drag on p1 and 3.