Viewed from the saddle, this...

Viewed from the saddle, this is the SW face of Buckhorn Mountain's NE summit on June 9, 2002. The easiest (class 3) route follows the ridge, but skirts 2 of the more prominent obstacles on their right (S) sides via short (max 60' along slope) steep sections (requiring use of hands). While the saddle is relatively friable shattered slate, the rest of the route is on slightly fractured pillow basalt and has only moderate rock fall potential. We saw one icicle in a cleft on the right side of the first obstruction, but otherwise the route was dry.