Spectreman Buttress, 5.7-5.12b

Overview/Approach

My first visit to Vedauwoo was in 2018.  I had a regular partner with me and we climbed at many of the more remote destinations at Vedauwoo in just that one trip.  Upper Blair was on our list, but not specifically Spectreman Buttress.  We did a circular hike of the area climbing a few moderates and on return hiked right below Spectreman Buttress and more specifically the wall's namesake, Spectreman, 5.11c****.  I was blown away at the beauty of this overhanging corner route.  A perfect looking corner/crack route in every way.

On my 2^nd trip to the area in 2019, I returned to this incredulous crack that had inspired me the year before.  It did not disappoint.  The distance from 5.10c to 5.11c at Vedauwoo can be considerably shorter than the distance between 5.9 to 5.10c and Spectreman is an example of that.  I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of hands this 5.11c offered up.  By the time you get to the finger portion, your feet have found decent purchase on the right wall.  If you are a solid 5.10 trad leader, get on this route, you can place gear at will.  It is more physical than it is technical. 

As is the same for Lower Blair, access the Blair/Wallis road from the south side of the interstate and go under the interstate to access dirt road 705. Continue north past private property to a trailhead day use area on the right (Lower Blair).  Continue on 705 and shortly take a right on 707.  Climb this dirt road and look to take a right on 707A and then a left at the Y.  Park at the dead end.  Walk through a fence and then up a hill through a barbed wire fence in short order that lands you below the buttress. 

Upper Tier, Listed Left to Right

My Clone Sleeps Alone, 5.10a/

Real Men Don’t Spread Their Legs, 5.11b/

Storm Watch, 5.10c/

Live and Let Live, 5.7/

Rubber Biscuit, 5.10b/

Behind the Blue Eyes, 5.11***/

Lower Tier, Listed Left to Right

Upper Tier Approach, 5.8/

County Swing, 5.11d*/

Call me Barney, 5.11c/

The Rookie, 5.12a/

Aspen Stem, 5.10/

Repoman, 5.12bPG***/

Spectreman- 70’-5.11c****/ One of the better crack climbs in Vedauwoo.  Climb the shaded left facing corner.  Some easy chimney to get started up the fist section, to immediate hands, undulating to tight hands and back.  There was a surprising amount of help via your right foot on the right wall via edges and features that make this 5.11c more plausible than I was expecting.  Physical and overhanging, but not overly technical for the grade.  You can take all the medium pieces you want to place.  Fixed rap up top.  You end up rapping about 30’ from the wall, so it is more overhanging that it mighr look. Loved it.  Dow