Premiere Buttress

Approach

From the town of Lone Pine on Highway 395, head west on the Whitney Portal Road. For El Segundo Buttress. Follow the road until it makes a single switchback near the top of the road. Above the east end of the switchback two buttresses can be seen ( there is a gully with trees between the two buttresses ). The left buttress is El Segundo, the right one is Premiere.

Route Description

From the toe of the buttress, walk up the left side about 200' until one can 3rd class up and right onto the buttress. Pitch 1 - climb up cracks for 160' to a belay below a chimney ( 5.7 ). Pitch 2 - climb the chimney and a crack and face above to a belay ledge ( 90', 5.7 ). Pitch 3 - face climb up and left to a crack ( A1 or 5.10+ ). From the cracks end face climb up and right to an easy crack ( 5.5 ) which leads to a bolt ladder. This appeared to be the original line, an alternate being to climb the face straight up ( 5.8, no pro ) to the easy crack. A1 or 5.10+ face past the bolt ladder leads to 5.8 face climbing past a bolt. Follow 5.6 knobs left and up to a stance ( 150' ). Pitch 4 - a 5.6 crack is followed by face, an undercling and a lieback crack ( 5.7+ ). Exit left onto 5.8 face ( 2 bolts ) below an ugly slot. Class 4 leads up a gully to the top.

This route is clean, fun and enjoyable!

Please see the topo under overview photos for more information on this climb.

Essential Gear

Nuts and Friends / cams - couple of tiny nuts - 3 1/2". 165' ropes are needed.

Miscellaneous Info

If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.

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