Dow Williams - Aug 30, 2017 9:23 am Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2017
Feather Buttress
With Patrick L from Washington. One of the highlights of 2017. I had climbed Black Elk several years ago on my first trip into the Cirque. Our intention then was to do both routes, the two most difficult routes back there. But it was just too damn cold. This was my 2nd trip in and hell or freeze we were going to do Feather. And we froze. However, super route with a more than competent partner made for a fantastic day. We had plenty of sunshine to spare back at camp. Picked up 4 cams someone rapped off of the first pitch the season before, leading us to believe we were the first ascent of 2017. The arete pitch is not as run out or scary as one is led to believe. The run out chimney is truly run out (unless you hauled a significant amount of large gear back there), thus the R rating. The crux pitch is all fingers. Good variety all the way around. No fixed gear en route. True adventure climb.
Dow Williams - Aug 30, 2017 9:23 am Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2017
Feather ButtressWith Patrick L from Washington. One of the highlights of 2017. I had climbed Black Elk several years ago on my first trip into the Cirque. Our intention then was to do both routes, the two most difficult routes back there. But it was just too damn cold. This was my 2nd trip in and hell or freeze we were going to do Feather. And we froze. However, super route with a more than competent partner made for a fantastic day. We had plenty of sunshine to spare back at camp. Picked up 4 cams someone rapped off of the first pitch the season before, leading us to believe we were the first ascent of 2017. The arete pitch is not as run out or scary as one is led to believe. The run out chimney is truly run out (unless you hauled a significant amount of large gear back there), thus the R rating. The crux pitch is all fingers. Good variety all the way around. No fixed gear en route. True adventure climb.