Southwest Buttress

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Geography

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Routes

Page Type: Route

Location: Wyoming, United States, North America

Lat/Lon: 43.12470°N / 109.6179°W

Route Type: Mountaineering

Time Required: A few days

Difficulty: Grade I Class 3

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- 8 Votes

Page By: jimmyjay

Created/Edited: Nov 15, 2004 / Jul 7, 2006

Object ID: 162908

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Page Score: 61.89% - 3 Votes

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Table of Contents

Approach

Either Titcomb Lakes or Indian Basin can be used as a base for this route. Both are reached by packhorse or a two day backpack from Elkhart Park trailhead via the 15 mile combination of Pole Creek, Seneca Lake, and Indian Basin trails (more straightforward than it sounds).

Route Description

At 12020' on the southwest ridge is a small col separating Indian Basin from Mistake Lake. It is reached from either by a Class 2 scramble. Above is a Class 3 slab with steeper rock on either side. The climb is straightforward and of solid rock all the way to the summit. Closer inspection reveals a rib/gully combination and a few variations. Rather than a series of false summits, the summit block may come as a surprise.
"I sprang upon the summit, and another step would have precipitated me to an immense snow field five hundred feet below." - from Fremont's report, 1842.
This is one of the best Class 3 peak climbs in the Rockies.

Essential Gear

Full backpacking gear for approach.
Rock shoes possibly more pleasant on the solid sections.

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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