Anyone ever NOT been sketched out on Crestones N. Buttress?

[Broken Knee]

For extra credit: Downclimb it. Without a rope. Sporty fun!

Been there, in a storm... I was very happy to reach the talus. Well, I mean at a downclimb velocity rather than terminal bump and grind velocity.

[SnowAlien]

I am ALSO curious about this route. Sounds like the traverse near the top gets pretty sporty?

[TomPierce]

For extra credit: Downclimb it. Without a rope. Sporty fun!

Been there, in a storm... I was very happy to reach the talus. Well, I mean at a downclimb velocity rather than terminal bump and grind velocity.

Yep, me too. But years ago.

Natalie: IMO this is one of the sportier 14er routes. That said, it's also in the Crestones so the rock is generally super solid & knobby. Not technically difficult, you just need to occasionally look ahead 20+ feet so you can adjust your course to find the knobbiest path of least resistance. Again, very solid knobs, it's just a mind control climb: try for 3 points of contact, test suspect holds, don't hurry it. I enjoyed it once I was done, but was muttering something about walking in the valley of the shadow of death while doing it. You should try it. Not much more difficult to back off and downclimb if it's not in the cards when you try it.

-Tom

[polar]

Not much more difficult to back off and downclimb if it's not in the cards when you try it.

“Sporty fun” is what I’m worried about. I’m looking more for a “wholesome fun”, the kind without any soiled underwear. So downclimbing NE Crestone, before doing the traverse, is pretty reasonable? I’ve been digging through TRs and forum posts but I’m still very confused. Some TRs and comments made it sound like it’s mostly class 3, and some made it sound like it’s low class 5. But it’s really hard to gauge who’s right (and who’s actually on route). I’d only do this route if I’m confident that I can do it without a rope. If I drag a rope and a rack up there, I might as well just go for Ellingwood Ledges, which I haven’t done either.

[Conor]

I remember it being 3 or 4 moves, and i didn't think the exposure was that bad. I filed it in the "bad day if you fall category," not "yer gonna die."

I did cheat and slipped on my rock shoes. But it was a fun few moves.

[TomPierce]

Hmm...not sure I follow, Polar. The North Buttress route in this thread is on a spur of Crestone Peak. The Ellingwood Arete route you mention (lately called the "Ellingwood Ledges") is on Crestone Needle. Totally different climbs and peaks. I've know I've done the Arete climb at least twice, both the Head Crack and more modern face variation. I may have done it 3 times, but my memory of all the climbs in the 90's is a bit hazy. But a fun climb for sure. I've never heard of anyone using the NB as part of the traverse between the peaks, but I also haven't been paying attention to that, so maybe?

Fwiw, I haven't done the Crestone Traverse, and have zero interest in the "traverse" described in the TR's I've read: Climb one peak, drop way, way off the ridge onto grassy slopes, hike across the lower valley then angle back up to the other peak. I guess I'm a bit of a purist, a true traverse to me is along the ridge proper. But I'm not sure if that's even feasible or if my skills are up to that challenge. Maybe some day.

Good luck if you try the NB, I thought it was a good, challenging route. Be safe,

-Tom

PS: Conor: rock shoes would probably make it feel easier, for sure. I wasn't that prepared, just boots for me & partner.

[j babu]

Tom, I think Polar is talking about Crestone Peak and the notch that separates "east" from "west."

Polar, as others have said, it's all knobby and featured over there (I found multiple rap stations on horns) on the north side. I'm not sure what the exact route is, but difficulty varies from 3rd to low 5, depending on your route. It's mostly just a head game, not difficult climbing.

[polar]

Hmm...not sure I follow, Polar. The North Buttress route in this thread is on a spur of Crestone Peak.

Sorry for the confusion. Everything made sense in my head, but I realize now that mentioning the "traverse" and Ellingwood Ledges really muddled up the water. j babu got it, the "traverse" I was talking about is not the Crestone traverse, but the traverse from NW Crestone into the NW Couloir / red notch in order to summit Crestone Peak via N buttress. From everything I've read (hence digging up this old thread), that traverse is the hairiest part of the route and cannot be avoided.

I don't have a need to "bag" any particular peak, I'm just looking for something fun to do without shitting my pants. Hence I mentioned that if I bring a rope and a rack, I might as well do Ellingwood Ledges (which goes up to the Needle as you mentioned) or the Prow on Kit Carson. But yeah, that was probably confusing as hell.


Pic of the "traverse" from benners TR.

[TomPierce]

No worries, Polar, I just wasn't sure what your intended route might be. Didn't want you ending up on the wrong peak (like I have never done that before... )

Yeah, we got to the top of the first point in your attached pic, then did part of the traverse to the top of the middle point. I think (?) that's what's called "North Crestone" on the LoJ Colorado 5th class list, and was our target for the day a few years back. We didn't do the rest of the traverse over to Crestone Peak so I have no beta on that. Looks like a worthy objective!

-Tom

[pfiore1]

It has been over a decade since I climbed that route, but from what I can remember is there were a few short sections of low fifth class. The majority was third and fourth class.

One of my climbing partners was very anxious beforehand so we brought and ended up using a light rope and light rack. As Broken Knee said, it is protectable, there were plenty of cracks to place anchors within the low fifth class sections. We may have, but I don't remember using the rope on the route from East Crestone to the summit. I think we used it on only one pitch just shy of East Crestone as shown in the photos if I remember correctly. It was also in June so there was still lingering snow and wet rock to deal with.

And to counter another post on this thread, a fall from most areas on the route would likely be fatal, not just "a bad day" as stated. I have recovered many from much easier terrain.

Attached are photos of when we used a rope. If she wasn't with us, we probably would not have brought or needed it, however I think it helped her very much mentally. A rope is never "needed" until it saves you from a fall.

What's not seen is the terrain before and after the photos, the photos themselves do not show the difficulty and exposure and why the rope was even used. That narrow ramp was not that bad, but before and after it surely was useful.

Pat

[Broken Knee]

Nice photos, pfiore.

I remember thinking that the climbing itself was alot like some of the Flatirons and Eldo easier stuff. I've typically been comfortable soloing 5.7 and below on the Flatirons, so you just do as you said and look ahead when you have a good rest, then motor up to the next rest. If you get to something that feels harder than you think it should, maybe downclimb and re-scope the path. I remember the route being solid rock where it needed to be.

[SchralpTheGnar]

Do the ellingwood arete/ledges on the needle of you haven’t done it before, those upper pitches are super cool and it’s such a classic profile. Mostly scrambling and simul climbing to the upper head wall then a few pitches with wild exposure but great pro.

I’ve never done any of the rock routes on crestone peak so I can’t speak for them.