Route Guide: Central Pillar Lake Ann Buttress 5.10b R, 10 pitches, IV 1,000'
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Time to read 6 min
US, North Cascades, Mount Shuksan, Lake Anne Buttress
Jere Burrell, Nate George, Timmy Rickert
Central Pillar of Lake Anne Buttress, 1000', IV, 10 pitches 5.10b R
Climbed on 3 separate attempts: 1st attempt Sept 11 2021 ascended new terrain to about pitch 7 descended in the rain. 2nd attempt Oct 2021 no new ground covered descended after pitch 3 due to minor injury, 3rd attempt oct 4 2022 completed route to the summit completing 3-4 new pitches and about 300' new ground: This was a single day of about 21 hours
Seeking out engaging climbs have become an element of aesthetics and possibilities. With world class alpine climbing in my backyard many walls have become good candidates for exploration. One of the larger sub alpine walls gets passed by hundreds of climbers and thousands of hikers each summer yet the only info about routes on Lake Anne Buttress were 3 short paragraphs from the first ascents of nearby routes. After a couple scouting hikes imagining the line I was joined by Timmy Rickert on an overnight trip to make our first attempt up the Central Pillar. We scrambled run out class 4 terrain for 150' to the start of the first pitch. We free climbed 7 pitches up to 10a/b before clouds and rain built in. We retreated in the rain back to camp. A single day attempt in Oct 2021 did not reward any new ground and retreated due to a minor injury from the top of pitch 3. Being the end of our summer the next attempt wouldnt come until next year. On Oct 4 2022 another single day attempt allowed us to complete the route adding 3-4 new pitches, another 10b crux pitch that was French freed. The route contains 96% good rock with good pro as the difficulty increases and honest run outs in the easiest terrain. In 1 case a 5.5 pitch on excellent rock had a 30m runout, but now it is protected with pitons used in the rap anchor.
( The first pitch and 150’ of class 4 were likely part of the original Beckey Route)
Pitch 1: 4th class R 60m
Scramble up class 4 slabs with limited pro. Meandering up and left, right, and back up left building a belay on a small platform just left of the open book gulley.
Pitch 2: 5.6 R 58m
Enter the open book gulley and climb the dihedral and face. More pro is available in the dihedral vs runout easy face climbing. When the gulley takes a bend to the right, exit left climbing over a chock stone. Noticeable rock quality change could improve with traffic. Climb left then up to a well defined break in the terrain (gravel ledge sloping down left) and build an anchor using finger size cams and nuts just below the twin cracks on a nice 1 person stance block. There is plenty of room to rest.
Pitch 2 can be broken up into 2 pitches by building a belay about 30m up in the open book.
This option would improve communication but potentially expose the climbers to rock fall from above.
Pitch 3: 5.8 PG-13 40m
Climb the inset on cracks directly above the belay or climb around it on the right before stepping back left. Jam the well protected twin cracks up on beautiful stone to their end then up the left facing dihedral. Placing gear when available and choosing holds based upon looseness. Exit the dihedral either directly or follow a rail stepping left then up. Follow a rightward trending ramp up to an anchor below the lofty hanging left facing dihedral. Or build an anchor just left of the dihedral to create space between belayer and climber for the next pitch and avoid any loose rock on the next boulder problem.
Pitch 4: 5.10 a/b G 40m
A short boulder problem climbs the dihedral directly above the anchor. Jam and stem up a steep corner past some loose blocks, which will clean up. Continue up the corner past a rappel anchor (Rap #5). Jam and layback up the steepening and widening dihedral mixing stemming and smears up to the chockstone. Face climb past the bulge into the wide right facing corner, exiting right, and back left to a good stance directly above the dihedral. There are several anchor options but this takes #1, #2-#4 cams really well. Manage gear appropriately.
Pitch 5: 5.6 PG-13 35m
Face climb above the anchor meandering to find the best rock and pro possible. Mostly good rock allows pro and short moderate moves up a nice face, past a rappel anchor, over heather ledges, in between blocks, up to a large ledge. Belay below a swooping crescent shaped right facing corner. Belay takes hand size pieces. Many belay options available.
Pitch 6: 5.7 R 30m-55m
Pull up 2 short steps and ledges to gain the nice right facing corner. Jam the crack as needed but many face holds on the right side and the beautiful swirling stone on the left. Sustained and enjoyable moderate climbing leads up the narrowing corner crack. Exit the corner on the right then back up and left for an easier option, or fire the runout corner exit directly. The direct exit appeared to be more sustained with diminishing opportunity for pro. After exiting right look up and left for pro and a belay at a piton anchor (Rappel) or continue up easy runout slab climbing for another 30m to the next anchor in cracks above a small shrubby ledge. Belay takes large hand sized pieces but several options nearby do exist stance dependent. Even though the rock and movement looks better, taking the dihedral exit direct quality pro never arrives until the next belay anchor another 30m higher.
Pitch 7: 5.9 PG-13 25m-30m
Continue up a ramp with a right facing wall. Reach the corner, climb up a couple loose blocks then take big step or make a move to the left. Up more loose blocks then toe the line out left over a small roof with grand exposure high on the cliff. Placing fingertip sized pro at your feet managing loose holds and tempting fate with each choice. Moderate climbing, over loose rock with marginal pro, wondrous exposure, and mind altering position cross the foot rail then up below a hanging dihedral. A fall here would be a gamble. Belay here on finger to hand sized nuts and cams to minimize rope drag and maximize communication.
Pitch 8: 5.10b+? PG 15-25m
Climb the hanging dihedral first on steep finger cracks and face climbing then out left on off hands crack stepping up into easy but runout terrain. Belay at a stance with finger sized gear or continue up the runout groove and face to the obvious large tree ledge. Overall this pitch has great position and movement on good rock but the lichen has made many holds slick.
Pitch 9: 5.5 R 30m
If belaying from just above the dihedral climb the runout slot and groove up to easier terrain to the large treed ledge.
Pitch 10: 5.4 PG 30m
From here follow the loose chimney/ gulley placing pro in good rock and avoiding rope drag exit at the top to the left either through the trees or on the rock just left of the branches. The summit can be reached with a short scramble above. Or continue along the summit ridge to the North
Descent
The rappel descent follows the route down from the top of Pitch 10 to the bottom of the Pitch 4 5.10 dihedral.
Rap 0:
No anchor was left to descend back to the big treed ledge.
Rap 1:
From the large treed ledge make a rappel to the bottom of crux dihedral at a fixed Nut Anchor
Rap 2:
Rappel straight down to a 2 piton anchor in the middle of P6
Rap 3:
Rap to a ledge just before the bottom of P6. A 70M might get you there in 1 rap.
Rap 4:
Do a short rap across the ledge to the top out of P5.
Rap 5:
Rap down through the P4 crux dihedral to a hanging rap anchor. Or instead build a new rap anchor at the top of P4
Rap 6:
Another shorter rap to the bottom of P4 in the dihedral. Fixed tri cams & cams
Rap 7:
This is where you divert from the ascent route. Instead, rap the clean slab down and climbers left. A full length rap ends on slick exposed heather slopes above exposure. The next anchor is on boulders down and climbers left.
Rap 8:
Carefully scramble to the large slung boulders. Rap into the chimney/ open book. Once at the next decent ledge look around the corner to your left for a protected nut anchor. Careful of loose rock on the pull.
Rap 9:
Over a dead tree and down the Piano Keys (a nice steep and exfoliating series of cracks). The next anchor is down and right a full length rope stretcher. This anchor would need some improving as well with smaller nuts or pitons for a parallel crack. Knot the ends, watch the penji, and bring your 70m!
Rap 10:
Last rap over a roof at the bottom. Another rope stretcher with a 60m. Bring your 70m and knot your ends!
