Balcony Buttress Route Grade Votings
Total votes cast 172
Adjacent Routes
20m. A great classic with the gloss to prove it. From the flat ledge below the right arete of the face trend left to a wide crack. Climb this to a heathery ledge then move to the left to an oddly-awkward flake on the exposed arete. USER COMMENTS
A fun expedition, with a great final move on the arete near the top. Be careful not to ice skate of the mirror like holds at the bottom.
I still think the final moves are hard and exposed enough (though well protected) to warrant S 4b.
I also agree that then finish to this climb feels more 4b. The gear for these moves is behind the one hollow sounding layback flake, and then some 4a moves with gear bellow you follow, which to me would warrent a grade of HS 4b.
Don't remember the start being that tricky, but it certainly felt hard for S4a in both respects.
The last moves feel about 4a I thought.
hmm, lovely route. I think the "4bness" of the last move is proportional to the strength of the wind and the size of the capacious ledge you are about to leave. The guidebooks all say finish via flake - do they mean that rounded horizontal dinner plate that I thought very unflakelike?
Seemed quite hard at Severe overall but I didn't find using the top flake at all hard. Not technical enough for HS (given good pro all the way). Very nice route though, quite meandering and with a traditional (ie. easiest way up the buttress) feel to it.
A beautiful S solo, with an adrenalising finale. Might just be 4b, but don't care either way, just do it!
Great Severe 4a. Great varied climbing and solid at the grade. |