Beggar's Buttress

Here's a bit more beta:

To find the route, park in one of the pullouts below and east of Lower Cathedral rock. Hike up from the road to the nice wide hiking trail. Follow it west past Lower Cathedral until you reach the toe of the buttress, and then scramble up the talus to reach it. Go up and left along the base of the cliff for maybe 100 yards to the start of the route. The beautiful left facing corner on the top of the first pitch is barely visible 100' off the ground. You can start on the left (5.7), or up bolts to the right (5.10). Both options meet up at the base of the corner, which features fingers, then fists (11a).

From here, trend up and right for the next 3-4 pitches. Along the way you will pass the really cool 5.10d cave/alcove/roof with a burly handcrack. There's much 5.8-5.9 crack climbing on these pitches, along with a good amount of loose rock. Around pitch 4 or 5, you'll reach a big ledge about halfway up the route.

About 200' of easy climbing (there's a fixed rope here for some reason...) takes you up to another ledge with a small tree. Directly above the tree is a clean crack/corner system. This is not the route, but a variation called "Going Nowhere" (11b). Beggar's Buttress starts up this for about 8' before stepping right to a steep, loose handcrack (10b). The routefinding is tricky here, but generally stay right and end up at a belay on a ledge/block with a fixed pin and slung horn.

The next pitch is the business, starting out with some stout face moves right to gain a thin crack with fixed pin (11b), and then a stellar steep corner that widens from fingers to OW/Squeeze. (Also 11b). We built a hanging belay at the top of the chimney, just below a roof. There's some small gear here for the belay, but it's pretty nice to have a bigger piece (#2-#4 Camalot) to make it really bomber.

Next, lie-back around the roof via a flake on the left wall of the dihedral. Continue up the handcrack to an optional belay at a small tree. The last bit of the corner is the crux, featuring steep finger jamming and liebacking with some lichen-ous rock. (11c)

The Descent: The route does not end on top of Lower Cathedral, but rather on a big ledge atop a buttress. From here, walk Southwest, past some cairns, to find the first of two bolted raps (60m rope required). From the base of the raps, I can't really give too much beta because it was dark and we got off route (ended up doing 5 raps off trees down a steep, very loose cliff). I'm thinking you stay west, contouring around the rock and follow 3rd class ledges down.

As for gear: a full single rack from Small to #4 Camalot (new style works fine) with doubles from thin fingers to wide hands. A single set of wires, and many long slings. Helmets.

Beta By Scott Bennett

singles from #00-#.5 doubles from #.75-2 Singles of #3 and #4 camalot. Bring a good amount of draws and slings, cordellette for tree belays.