Creamsicle Buttress

Creamsicle Buttress is a spectacular route up a proud feature with great rock and good protection at a modest grade. The start is a little complicated to reach, but worth the effort.

The first 40 feet is grubby class 4 to a ledge with a large bush. The climbing improves sharply as you work up and left onto the buttress, following bolts out to the airy buttress edge. The diagonal finger traverse here is the 5.8 crux. Although the route goes in a single lead, there is a bolted anchor around midway. Or belay at the bush, reducing rope drag for a long second pitch to the top. All belays have panoramic views across Banks Lake.

Driving in from the south, the Creamsicle Buttress is prominent as the left skyline of Roadside Rock (see photo).The Buttress starts about 100 feet above the water near the top of the Aqualine crag. Getting there requires walking the main climbers trail around the south end and dropping to the lake edge. Climb one of the three 5.9 routes (Supprehension, Prophylactic Crowbar or Aqualine) or scramble up the gully to the right. From there, walk ~50 feet left to double bolts that start Creamsicle. No doubt there's a scrambling alternative, but it would be just as complicated and less aesthetic.

Bolts (~15?, I lost count). Descent: From the top of the Creamsicle, a bit of class 4 up and right leads to ledges and easier scrambling to the south. Looks possible to rappel, but more complicated?