DEER RIDGE BUTTRESS CLIMBING

Category: Colorado (RMNP)Elev: ~9,700 ftRock Type: Granite
Dates: June-July 2021(x2 days); August 2023(x1 day)Partners: Nate Arganbright, Scott Kimball

Trip Report #s: 466, 641

List of Climbs I've Done & 2 Trip Reports

Photo Trip Report for

Friar's Frontress Pitch 1 (5.9) + Nun's Buttress (5.8, 3p)

June 2021

Center Left Face (5.10b/c, 5p)

August 2023

Deer Ridge Buttress is a high and lonely 600-foot cliff in Rocky Mountain National Park on the north slope of Deer Mountain. It that provides beautiful views, excellent climbing on perfect granite, and near certain solitude. The longer approach is worth it.

This page features some "short reports" from some of the climbs I’ve done on the Deer Ridge Buttress. So far I've just climbed two routes to the top but I plan to return for more!

Friar's Frontress Pitch 1 (5.9) + Nun's Buttress (5.8, 3p)

Center Left Face (5.10b/c, 5p)

list of climbs i've done at Deer Ridge Buttress

Deer Ridge Buttress

2 Trip Reports

Friar's Frontress Pitch 1 (5.9) + Nun's Buttress (5.8, 3p)

FA Friar's Frontress: Gillett & Huntsman, 1995. FA Nun's Buttress: Culp & Raubach, 1965

Date: June 6, 2021 (Sun) Partner: Nate Arganbright

The narrow prow that splits Deer Ridge Buttress into halves holds a 4-pitch line of really fun 5.7-5.9 climbing.

Route Overlay

Pitch-by-Pitch Photos

Approach

2nd

You can approach Deer Ridge Buttress from either the north or the south side. For the north side, just slog directly up the slope, with no trail. For the south side, hike the Deer Mountian Trail (access inside RMNP) to the end of the northernmost switchback, and then cut off the trail and hike up the ridge until reaching a gully just west of Deer Ridge Buttress. Rack up, leave your packs, and descend the gully to the base of the wall. Both approaches take roughly 1 hour to the base of the buttress.

We chose to approach from the north side to avoid having to deal with the RMNP entrance. This way is a bit of a hoof, but hey it's good exercise and the climb is fun.

Beginning the appraoch.

Crossing the NPS boundary near the start of the approach.

View up at Deer Ridge Buttress from near the start of the approach.

The final bit is a tad 'schwacky.

Old bird closure sign at the base of Deer Ridge Buttress. This crag has been closed March 1 - July 31 for raptor nesting in previous years, although the closure was lifted in 2018.

Pitch 1

5.8-5.10

(Several options)

From the base of the main wall, follow one of several lines of weakness to the large ledge ("Stagway") below Nun's Buttress. There are several options ranging from 5.8-5.10. It is also possible to scramble up and left to get to Stagway and the base of Nun's Buttress.

I have climbed three different options to Stagway, shown below.

Option 1

This is the way that Nate and I climbed to access Nun's Buttress above. A few moves on this pitch felt 5.10. (Nate and I thought we had climbed Friar's Frontress Pitch 1, but when I returned later that summer with Scott and climbed the actual Friar's Frontress Pitch 1 we realized that Nate and I had climbed a different approach pitch.)

Upper stretch of the pitch.

Option 2

This is another option that climbed about a month later with Scott, when we were just climbing single pitch routes to Stagway. This route is called Friar's Frontress Pitch 1 (5.9) and is probably slightly better climbing than the way Nate and I had taken in June.

Nice crack higher on the pitch.

Option 3

This is a fun 5.8 route that Scott and I climbed, which also dumps you onto Stagway Ledge from which you can access Nun's Buttress.

Nice hand crack higher on the pitch.

Pitch 2

5.8

(Nun's Buttress)

Gain a beautiful double crack system with a hand traverse from the left. Follow the right branch for a long pitch to a ledge at the base of a very prominent, jutting dihedral. This is an awesome 5.8 pitch.

Pitch 1 of Nun's Buttress climbs the obvious twin cracks.

Pitch 3

5.7 or 5.8

(Nun's Buttress)

Climb a crack on the right wall of the jutting dihedral or do an easier line on the left. Belay when convenient.

Nate starting up Pitch 2 of Nun's Buttress.

Pitch 4

5.7

(Nun's Buttress)

Head up moderate slabby terrain to the top.

Moderate slabby climbing ahead.

Descent

3rd

We descended by scrambling off the top of the buttress to the west. Apparently you can also descend to the east, which may require a rappel off a tree at some point. The descent is a bit loose and tedious.

Looking down the descent.

Aspen grove.

Center Left Face (5.10b/c, 5p)

FA: Bradley & Petrillo, 1976. FFA: Kimball & Harrison, 1979.

Date: August 20, 2023 (Sun) Partner: Nate Arganbright

This climb ascends the left side of the center of the NW Face. The route has an adventurous nature, a variety of climbing, and lots of interesting features. Route-finding is a bit tricky and there are several variations. We ended up inadvertently climbing a couple of variations but the climbing was quite good and maintained the grade. The route has a distinct well-protected crux at the undercling on the third pitch. I'd like to come back and climb another route on this steep NW Face of Deer Ridge Buttress.

Route Overlay

Pitch-by-Pitch Photos

Approach

2nd

We had approached via the north side the last time we had climbed the buttress, so this time we chose to approach from the Deer Mountian Trail. We thought this way was much more pleasant, and it was nice to have our packs at the top and just hike out at the end of the climb.

Where we turned off the trail. At the furthest north switchback.

Pretty mellow terrain between thet trail and the top of Deer Ridge Buttress.

That's' the biggest miner's candlestick I've ever seen.

Descending a gully along the west side of Deer Ridge Buttress to the base of the wall.

Pitch 1

5.8 or 5.9

Twin cracks about 30' left of a chimney, 30' right of a blocky, low angle crack. Follow twin cracks up for roughly 80' and then step left into the upper reaches of the aforementioned chimney. Follow this right into the low angle, broken terrain below a white slot. With a 70m rope, this could be continued to a spike belay below the crux slot, 180-200', 5.8/9.

(Pitch description by Andy Hansen on mountainproject.)

Here the route description in the Rossiter and Gillette guidebooks differ from what Andy described. They describe laybacking (5.9) a flake just left of a 6-inch wide slot and ending at the same location. This may be a bit to the right of what we climbed.

Looking up from the base of the route. We climbed the twin cracks just left of center in the photo. The route described by Rossiter/Gillette might climb the flake feature about 30 feet to the right.

Nate leading Pitch 1. This was good climbing, felt about 5.8 or soft 5.9.

Pitch 2

5.4

Climb blocky terrain to a large spike below the white slot, 50', 5.4.

(Pitch description by Andy Hansen on mountainproject. This pitch seems to fit those described in both the Gillette & Rossiter guidebooks.)

Looking up Pitch 2. Easy climbing but some big blocks to navigate through.

Pitch 3

5.10b/c

Move up into the looming slot easily. Out right you'll notice an incipient crack system, but stay the course in the slot placing finger-sized cams/nuts. The slot begins to widen. Turn around, and use jugs/flakes in the other wall. Keep laybacking until a fortuitous foothold presents itself out right. Keep laybacking up through the roof, and latch a jug. A strenuous pitch but not technically difficult. Step left and belay at a semi-hanging stance, 90', 5.10b/c.

(Pitch description by Andy Hansen on mountainproject. This pitch seems to fit that described in the Gillette & Rossiter guidebooks. It is also possible to climb a wider crack out left, but this would require a few #4 to #5 sized cams.)

The spike below the slot of Pitch 3. Nate starting to lead the slot.

Nate leading Pitch 3.

Pitch 3.

Kinda intimidating. I ended up climbing this section like a chimney, facing out, and it felt quite secure. Stepping out and the undercling at the end was the crux for me (it probably helps to be tall on this crux).

Fixed piton just above the crux.

Passive pro belay at the top of Pitch 3 (two hexes and a nut).

Pitch 4

5.9

Hand traverse awkwardly to the left and step up into a thin hands crack. Follow this for 90', and then continue up slightly left into a roof-let in easier, slightly lower angle terrain. Semi-hanging stance in a finger crack/large rock spike. 150', 5.9.

(Pitch description by Andy Hansen on mountainproject.)

Here the route description in the Rossiter and Gillette guidebooks differ from what Andy described. They describe stepping back right, climbing a wide 5.8 crack, and then climbing a finger crack in a long, clean, right-facing dihedral which is the same as the last pitch of Pathfinder.

We climbed Andy's version, which was good but we will have to someday go back and climb the other last pitch option to compare. Via Andy's version, we belayed about 70 feet up this pitch to avoid rope drag, and then combined the last half of the pitch with the final pitch to the top.

Nate after the awkward hand traverse to start off the Pitch. This is not the pitch described by Rossiter/Gillette, but it still good climbing.

Thin hand crack.

Pitch 5

5.8

A short pitch may be necessary to complete the climb.

This is actually the second half of Pitch 4 as described above. We had belayed halfway up the pitch, because of rope drag coming around the iniital hand traverse. We easily climbed from here to the top.

Pretty moth.

Another nice hex placement by Nate. Hexes are growing on me. Lightweight, inexpensive, and a melodic clinking sound that makes me feel I am climbing in the 70s.

Nate and I have been having fun trying to find placements for my #2 ball nut. So far it has never been essential and I am not sure I would trust it in a fall, but it is an interesting piece of protection.

Top

Enjoy the view. Collect your packs (if you approached from the trail and left them up here) and hike out, enjoying more views.