Fool's Buttress

Fool’s Buttress is a reasonable looking line from a distance up the NE Buttress of Cathedral Mountain.

“Wonder why there are so few routes on those grand sweeping white Navajo buttresses above the main canyon? Gritty rock, loose tiles and shallow bottoming cracks that do not take cams probably have a lot to do with it.”

Tom Jones

A nine pitch soft rock, poorly protected adventure followed by a short hike then climb up a final pitch to the top the summit block.

Starting on the left side of the sub buttress at the base of the route, 4th class scramble up until steepness and difficulty may warrant a change to rock shoes and the donning of the rope. Expect 400 to 500 feet of fourth class to 5.4 climbing with little to no protection and small trees for belay stance opportunities.

From the top of the sub buttress, consider sanity and mortality, and then continue up the crux of the route: a short, steep headwall. Locate the left of three cracks and a fixed pin at the blank spot below. Aid up and gain the crack taking care. Z pitons, some fixed gear and a selection of poorly placed cams in mealy cracks provide modest pro at best. At 5.8R A0, the hardest pitch on the route.

Another 6 pitches, some long, some shorter, ascend lower angle rock. Belays were typically a single, loose bolt and a tied off bush.

From the top of the buttress, angle left on the mesa through Manzanita to a low angle ramp which can be soloed to the top of the summit block (5.4). Wander around until being convinced the tallest point has been located.

Descent: “Hook Canyon” which is the canyon running north from the col between Majestic and Cathedral. After an initial rappel off the rim of the summit block of Cathedral, hike to the col and find a large, stout tree to rappel from. Several full length rappels with possible scrambles and down climbs gain lower angle terrain and with some scrambling and hiking, the West Rim trail.

Approach from the Grotto Parking Lot to the Angel’s Landing trail to the West Rim trail to the head of Refrigerator Canyon. Cross stream course and head cross country with some bushwhacking to the base of the NE Buttress of Cathedral Mountain.

Fixed pro could be long gone in the sea of soft rock. Suggest a full rack to include double set of small to large cams, a few shallow angle pitons, selection of baby angles, and a bolt kit. Slings and draws to match, of course. Double set of 60m lead ropes.