Pete was a great partner, except he kept trying to drop stuff (like ice tools) on my head from above. A few more photos and route description, as well as I can remember it.
The beautiful approach and camp
Castle Peak North Face – Middle Buttress
The “Colorado Route” generally follows the buttress crest, the climb Peter and I did was off to the left side of the wall.
The glacial moat may be an obstacle late in the year. Two snow patches above the glacier may block parts of the route. All Lengths and grades are approximate.
Clouds giving way to sun in the morning
P1. Begin in the blocky line just left of the gulley/chimney on the left edge of the buttress. Toward the end there is a wide crack, most of the pitch is low 5th. 70m 5.8
P2. Climb up and right to the top of the snow, aim for the clean wall below a L-Facing corner. 20m Low 5th
P3. Up unprotected face climbing to the corner, which has good gear (fixed LA piton in place). From the top of the crack, hard 5.10 face climbing leads to a ledge. 30m 5.10+
P4. Face climb left from the belay, then up the perfect flakes and cracks to the pedestal above. 40m 5.10-
P5. Move down and left from the belay to a hidden corner, and work your way back up and right to a spot above the belay. 30m 5.7
P6. Left and up to the bottom of a long seam/ finger crack. Move left at the base of the crack, and up around a series of corners and roofs. We belayed down near the chimney. 45m 5.10
P7. Up the featured aręte to the right of the chimney/gulley, then up a perfectly white shallow dihedral, undercling right, and belay. Small TCUs usefull. Some may find this pitch runout. 5.10 30m
P8. Climb left and pull into fantastic hidden finger crack in left-facing corner. Move right at the top. 40m 5.10-
P9. Traverse right along a ledge and pull up in a long corner/dihedral with two trees in it. The cracks here became mossier but good flakes and edges abound. 75m 5.7
p.10 Move left into a corner choked with moss. Follow this upward ~10m until you can move left onto the amazing golden stripe of quartz. 75m 5.8
p.11 Follow the golden stripe upward and leftward, near the gulley/chimney again. End at a ledge and amphitheatre below many overhanging walls. 80m 5.8
P.12 The best option would be to move left up a finger crack/corner to the crest on the left, and follow it to the top. We went up the gulley, across snow, then up a weird V1 boulder overhang and rightward to the top. 80m 5.7
The scenic de-proach
Gear to 3” with small cams and pins (knifeblade, Lost Arrows) useful. Descent is down the E. Ridge to snow slopes.
Blake has entertained us with slides at Ropeup, these two guys are PNW to the core.
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