| HAIR RAISER BUTTRESS (F9) "Old Skool" 5.9 Route |
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| Page Type: Route Location: California, United States, North America Route Type: Trad Climbing Season: Spring Time Required: Half a day Rock Difficulty: 5.9 (YDS) Difficulty: "Old Skool" Slab (F9) Number of Pitches: 3 Grade: II
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| Page By: The Chief Created/Edited: May 2, 2008 / May 14, 2008 Object ID: 400633 Hits: 1673 Loading... Page Score: 90.43% - 36 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
Overview A test piece of Classic proportions! Lots of history behind this 1975 "Old Skool" Clevenger/Higgins 3 pitch (F9) 5.9 Masterpiece located in the Granite Basin out in the middle of nowhere 20 or so miles from the nearest urban area. It is not for the faint at heart and will definitely test ones smearing, slab and good route finding abilites along with ones nerves of steel. Route finding entails fitting the pieces of the puzzle together so as not to wonder off and get lost in the sea of potential moves that will and can put you on the edge of of "No Man's Land" with the potential of a very long ankle breaking sliding screamer. There have been some serious injuries in the past seven or so years as a result of taking the wrong direction in search of an easier way. The line is obvious, and detering from the obvious, is not recommended.
Do not FALL on this route!!!!!
 Vern Clevenger on the FA...P3
Here is the original 1975 AAJ report submitted by Tom Higgins:
“Hair-raiser Buttress,” Granite Basin. Vern Clevenger and I climbed
this route in June. The route ascends the only prominent, pitted buttress
in the middle of the Granite Basin group. We started off some boulders
slightly uphill from the low point and center of the buttress and then
took the central line for three pitches to the top, always following the
area most solution-pocked. The final pitch is the crux, some F9 and considerable F8, all protected by bolts. NCSS II, F9."
THOMAS HIGGINS
The route was retrobolted with/without Vern's permission by AH several years after the FA. Controversy exists and the bolts have been chopped, re-added and chopped etc over the years. Bottomline, leave the route alone as it currently is and just enjoy the line. If you do not want to clip the added bolts for the extra taste of spice, then skip them. But please, do not take your opinions out and chop. The route has been published in Marty Lewis's current 3rd edition of "Mammoth Area Rock Climbs" with the modern bolt count. Folks from all over the world come to climb the route and use the current published beta. Past choppings have led to serious injuries due to the long falls incurred from not having the current bolts in place.
So please, leave the bolts alone and enjoy the route.Getting ThereFrom Bishop (the south), take Hwy 6 north to Benton and then turn onto route 120 west. Drive northwest 14 miles or so and the feature will come into view directly to the NE. Once the formation is to your right, take the obvious dirt road and follow it up to the base.  The Main Formation w/ HRB on the center obvious prow
From Lee Vining (the north), take Hwy 395 south about 3 miles to Route 120 east. Drive southeast about 20 miles up and over Sagehen Summit and the obvious feature will come into view to your left. Take the obvious dirt road up to the base.
Beware: HWY 120 in either direction can get closed in the winter due to snow and the dirt road just below the feature gets very soft and 2WD vehicles may have a problem getting through the softest sand areas.
Route Description  Kris Solem on the dicey initial moves up to the 2nd bolt  The Chief slaving Kris Solem on the first sequence of scary moves
P1: Getting to the first bolt can be rather dangerous. A bouldery "Old Skool" 5.9 move stepping up and right to acquire the first solid right foot placement below the first bolt can be tedious and very nerve racking. A slip here will send you 20' feet or so to the base below resulting in a possible broken ankle or leg as has happened in the past. Once clipped, stay in line with the direction of the bolts above. Meandering too far right can put you in a very precarious spot 20-30' out from your last bolt. Climb a total of about 120' on meandering 5.9 pocket smears and thin edging to attain the top of the pitch and a rewarding three bolt anchor.
***To climb the original route, do not clip bolts 2, 4 & 6.
P2: Start up and over a small bulge to the first bolt 20' above. From this bolt do not go left onto a modern route. Veer rt and up on 5.8 pockets and edges 140' clipping four more bolts to another 3 bolt stance under the obvious horizantal and vertical features.  Looking down P2 at the happy Kris Solem
***To climb the original route, do not clip bolts 1, 3 & 5.
P3: Here is the dicey technical crux. Start off up and veering left towards the first bolt 20' or so up on some very thin nerve racking "Old Skool" 5.9 crystal edges and shallow pockets to reach the clip....ahhhhhhhhhhhh!  Pulling through the "Crux" sequence...P3
Descent: 1. You can walkoff on the obvious Class 2 ledge heading west and then down the drainage back to the base...20 minutes or so.
2. Rappel the route. Two 60m ropes are required. 15-20 minutes.
Essential Gear6-8 Draws
2-4 Alpine Draws
1ea #1-#3 MET TCU(opt)
1ea #1-#4 Stoppers(opt)
1 60m Rope
**2 60m Ropes are required if you Rap the route**
****Nerves of Steel!!!****Additional Info- "Mammoth Area Rock Climbs" 3rd ed. Marty Lewis pg.235-237
- The Sierra East Side (Out of Print) Alan Bartlett pg.137-138 The Topo Images
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