Sublime Buttress

Brent and I began establishing this route ground up in the winter of 1998. We aided the second pitch and were forced off the wall after 5 pitches, due to a blizzard during the night spent in our portaledge. I later rapped the headwall at the top to scope a line and clean off some loose blocks (I did not place any bolts on rap as stated in the 2003 AAJ, this was placed on lead). Eventually in May of 2002 Brent and I returned to free the entire climb. Parts of the climb are shared with variations of the Dalke Route.

The journey begins to the left of an overhang/cave with a slab above it at the lowest point of the Main buttress of Cathedral Wall. Here can be found a small tree against the wall which marks the starting point.

Pitch 1. Pull a difficult move behind the small tree to gain access to the slab. Traverse right and head up to a tree in the middle of the slab (the pitches only real pro). From the tree, head up and slightly left to the base of an overhanging crack system that splits the wall to roof above. Belay in slab just below the crack (5.6R).

Pitch 2. Jump onto the crack system and get ready for a pump. Awesome climbing pulling the lip. Don't mistake this pitch for the overhanging corner system to the right. This pitch goes straight out the middle of the roof to another tree above (5.11).

Pitch 3. Start up the wall to climbers RIGHT of the tree. Meander straight up and gradually slightly left following any protection possibilities you can (5.8R). Eventually you will end 60m out at a bolt below a white roof.

Pitch 4. Head straight up into the white roof and climb out it's left side and up a crack system to the top of a small pillar right on the prow of the buttress (5.8+).

Pitch 5. Avoid the temtation to head right onto easy terrain. Instead, go directly left 5-10 feet and then straight up (no pro) eventually gaining a ramp system that takes you left. When the ramp levels off and cuts across the entire wall, traverse left under the small roof it forms then surmount it, and climb into the headwall. Follow a non-descript crack into the middle of the wall. At its end, just as things get steep, you're forced to climb out right and up to the big ledge. Fight the rope drag to the back of the ledge and a bolt (5.9).

Pitch 6. Climb onto the upper wall over or around a couple hanging blocks to access a left-leaning ramp, heading towards a large roof above. At the top of the ramp, lieback out the left side of the large roof to gain the main headwall. Above the roof, travel up right then straight up over a flake and up more until a hand traverse ledge takes you right, to a bolt and the belay (5.10+).

Pitch 7. Now that you've gained the best view in RMNP (other than the Diamond), get ready for some fun. Go straight up through a crux section then left to a large flake system that takes you back right to a final, left-leaning, overhanging, hand crack that finishes off the climb (5.10).

Enjoy!

Standard free rack with extra TCUs, micronuts, and a couple Lowe balls are useful. Bring a 60m rope.