Freeway Wall, Lower Buttress, 5.6-5.10a

Overview/Approach (photo above shows, L to R, Smooth as Silk, Thigh Master and Stop Trundling)

Freeway Wall is divided in Miramontes guide into a lower buttress and main wall area. Both walls face due south but are separated by a significant col with no established routes in between.  It makes sense to keep them separated in terms of two different climbing destinations.

The routes on the lower buttress are not near as tall as the main wall routes further up canyon.  But I was surprised at their quality.  Although the local guide did not give any recommendation (stars) for Thigh Master, 5.9, and Stop Trundling, 5.10a, they were both good routes by Jtree standards.  As good as many two starred routes in the guide at the same grade.  Thigh Master offered three different climbing techniques at or close to the grade:  crack, slab and arête.  Stop Trundling offers a cool overhanging corner with a splitter out left to assist at the grade.  Smooth as Silk, 5.8*, I thought was going to be a bore looking at it from below, but it too turned out pretty damn good, involving two separate splitters.  Four of the five routes can be rapped from the same slung block and I witnessed only two bolts (2018) at this east end of Freeway Wall.

Park at the Freeway Wall small dirt parking area along Lost Horse Road.  The lower buttress is up and to the left (north) from the parking area.  Thigh Master’s slab face is easy to decipher from this vantage point (photo).  A quick 5 to 10 minute hike up the boulders delivers you to its base which is essentially the same for four out of the five routes on this lower buttress.

Routes Listed Left to Right as you Face the Lower Buttress (south facing)

False Smooth as Silk- 90’-5.6*/ (by itself up the buttress proper)

Smooth as Silk- 80’-5.8*/ Climbs better than it looks.  Climb the right leaning finger splitter off the deck to a slopy ledge.  Then take either of two cracks up the wall to the right.  The right crack is in keeping with the grade:  wider, more features.  The left crack is all fingers, a nice laser clean splitter, more 5.9.  Both options are worth doing.  End up at the same slung block used for Thigh Master and the Trundle routes.  Single to #2.  Dow

Thigh Master- 80’-5.9/ Like Stop Trundling, Thigh Master is definitely worth a recommendation even though it is void of one in the local guide.  This route offers crack, slab and arete climbing.  Start up the obvious crack that peters out onto the broad face at a bolt.  Make a cruxy slab move at the grade above the bolt.  Trend up and right to the 2nd bolt and then onto the fun arête, trending back left to the slung block.  A few small to medium pieces, 2 draws.  Dow

Stop Trundling- 40’-5.10a/ This excellent short overhanging corner route with a splitter out left to keep it more moderate, deserves a recommendation despite the local guide not giving it one.  Walk up the slab to the first left facing corner.  Start in the corner but immediately stem out to the splitter and eventually settle out left to the top where you can fix a small to medium gear belay.  Single to #2.  It is listed at 60’ in the guide, but in reality it is best to do this route first, set a gear rap and then clean that via climbing Thigh Master or Smooth as Silk.   There is just one fixed rap (2018) via a slung block atop this formation.    Dow

Start Trundling- 60’-5.10a/ Next corner up.