Traveler Buttress Trip Report 7/19/08

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Zander

Trad climber

Berkeley

Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 23, 2008 - 06:31pm PT

Traveler Buttress Trip Report 7/19/08
Feeling daunted by the eight hour round trip to Tuolumne I managed to talk Bob into going to Lover’s Leap, only five hours round trip. Somewhere along the way we decided on Traveler Buttress, which I’d never done and Bob last did thirty years ago. Being so wimpy about the driving I very graciously offered him the crux second pitch squeeze.

Here’s me preparing for heading up P1.

Here’s a pic of about half way up. It’s really cool flake/crack/dike climbing.

There is a small roof about 3/4 of the way up which has big positive holds. The crux 5.8 flare can be climbed a few ways. First I squirmed up the flare till I could just reach a hold in the back but I was wondering, "where’s the 5.8"? I squirmed back down and tried using face holds to the left and the edge of the flare. This turned out to be no easier so take your pick.

Here’s a pic of Bob in the P2 route crux, a 5.9 squeeze.

The pure squeeze is only a few feet before you can grab a flake and/or some jambs in the back. Somehow it doesn’t make it all that much easier. Pro is good though.

Here’s a pic where it starts to get smaller.

Pretty soon you are out onto the face. The crack above is pretty sustained so there is no real let up. A great pitch. So far the “5.8” sections had been pretty burly so as I lead up pitch three I was waiting for it to get hard. It never really does. You can stay on your feet the whole time. Pretty soon you are out on the arete with amazing exposure and you just keep on it until the roof when you move around onto the easier dikes.

Here are a few pics of the pitch.

Here’s a pic of Bob smiling as he ties off a huge chicken head type thing low on the fourth pitch.

The rest of the pitch is continuous class four dike hiking.

It’s easy to see why this climb is considered to be a classic. Great stuff throughout.
See ya on the rock,
Zander

Russ Walling

Social climber

Out on the sand.... man.....

Jul 23, 2008 - 07:38pm PT

Bueno!

Phil_B

Social climber

Hercules, CA

Jul 23, 2008 - 08:16pm PT

Suh-weet!

Very nice Zander.

goatboy smellz

climber

colorado

Jul 23, 2008 - 08:16pm PT

hey there, say zander I've been there back in '94...thanks for the flashback.

You coming out for the boogaloo this year?

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

sorry, just posting out loud.

Jul 23, 2008 - 08:26pm PT

"hey there, say zander"

neebee = goatboy_smellz?

good pics Zander, thx for throwing them up on the board

Zander

Trad climber

Berkeley

Topic Author's Reply - Jul 23, 2008 - 10:32pm PT

Hi Goatboy S.
Sadly, I'm not going to make it to the boogaloo this year. You all will just have to party down without me. I sure wish I was coming. Last year was great.
Zander

le_bruce

climber

Oakland: what's not to love?

Jul 23, 2008 - 11:36pm PT

You've pushed this route to the top tier of my list. It's a multi-tiered list.

J. Werlin

climber

Cedaredge

Jul 24, 2008 - 06:10am PT

Excellent! Always wanted to climb that one. Thanks.

Roger Breedlove

climber

Cleveland Heights, Ohio

Jul 24, 2008 - 06:18am PT

Great pictures, Zander.

I have only climbed a few times at the Leap, and Commie Buttress was one of the routes I did with a barely climbing friend. I could recall the specific climbing with the help of your pictures.

Thanks, Roger

spyork

Social climber

A prison of my own creation

Jul 24, 2008 - 08:32am PT

Nice one Zander. I found that 1st pitch scary.

bluering

Trad climber

Santa Clara, Ca.

Jul 24, 2008 - 08:37am PT

Cool stuff.

I love climbing at the Leap.

rhyang

Ice climber

SJC

Jul 24, 2008 - 09:24am PT

Good stuff :)

cmclean

Trad climber

San Francisco, CA

Jul 24, 2008 - 09:31am PT

Nice! Looks like you were milking that squeeze for all it was worth (I think most people traverse to the hand crack about 6 feet below the leader in your 4th picture, where the cracks are closest to each other).

climber

Far off places where I left lipstick traces...

Jul 24, 2008 - 09:44am PT

hey there...say Zander (don't cha just love neebee?)

The way I think about climbing chimneys is this:

Some days you're the ring-tailed cat...
other days...
Dang--I'm fat!

Thanks for another excellent TR!

susan peplow

climber

www.joshuatreevacationhomes.com

Jul 24, 2008 - 09:53am PT

Very nice plus you got to bag one of the 50 Classics of North America.

I had forgotten how fun that route was.

What's next?

cleo

Social climber

Berkeley, CA

Jul 24, 2008 - 10:31am PT

looks fun, i can't wait!

scuffy b

climber

Sartre's No Exit 1/32 mile

Jul 24, 2008 - 11:13am PT

Very nice. Thanks for the report,
especially the pictures.

caughtinside

Social climber

Davis, CA

Jul 24, 2008 - 01:21pm PT

Nice going Zander! Thanks for the pics!

dave

nutjob

Stoked OW climber

San Jose, CA

Jul 24, 2008 - 01:55pm PT

This was one of my first ticks after moving to SF Bay, following the "50 Classics" book... first time up there spend a few hours wading hip-deep in snow (wearing jeans and hiking boots of course) to get to it, and poked through snow at the top and bailed after seeing an airy black abyss below my feet with the tops of tree branches visible.

I think I leaned or yanked on a cam through the crux wide part on the trip when we did climb it, so I'm up for a revisit at some point.

Zander

Trad climber

Berkeley

Topic Author's Reply - Jul 24, 2008 - 05:46pm PT

Hey cmclean,
Yeah, Bob’s a good OW climber so he stayed in the loving safety of the OW. While following I was out on the face as you described.

Hey L,
No choice here. I’m always fat.

Hey Sooze,
Next route is North Country at the Leap...if I can get my head together for the runouts.

Hey Nutjob,
A friend of mine who has done the NIAD told me he took a hang on the OW so you are in good company.

See y’all
Zander

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