- Edit (TBD)
Blueberry Buttress
Description
In it's current state, I'd recommend it more as a character-building exercise, or perhaps for philosophical reasons. For instance, if you've ever pondered the question "how dirty does a route have to get before it's unclimbable?" It probably would be a very nice route with some cleaning, but alas, I forgot my wire brush, trowel, cultivator and hedge shears when I climbed it. The first pitch climbs an attractive crack, then continues up a dirt runnel that's hidden from the ground, and onto a tree belay. The little traffic this route gets seems to intelligently stop here at an aging sling.The book describes the second pitch as heading up the cracks and corners for 100' and alludes to some vegetation. Indeed, excavate a few pounds of moss and dirt, pull on cedars and junipers, jam and thrutch, then reach an easy friction finish. There are no grades for some of these things. It'd probably be best to break the second pitch up too, as I was about 130' up when I decided to stop with barely adequate gear to build a mid-pitch belay in order to bring my follower up so I could protect the finish. Top out in an other-worldly forest of pines and blueberries. Walk off to the climber's left is probably best, heading through the dreamy ecology and past the scenic true summit of the Summit Cliff.
Location
Flakes and an attractive handcrack climber's right of a tree-filled chimney slightly uphill from the toe of the cliff, around the corner to the right of Great Northern Diver
Protection
Summit Cliff rack (loaded in hand and finger sizes) to #4 C4. Gardening tools. Maybe add some tricams, they'll work better in the dirty cracks!