[TR] Zion - Moonlight Buttress 12/15/2006

skyclimb · December 26, 2006

Trip: Zion - Moonlight Buttress

Date: 12/15/2006

Trip Report:

What can I say about Zion this time of year? It is cold, isolated from the crowds, and still holds the wonder and awe of an amazing National Park. My good Friend Eric and I migrated from our respective homes to this sanctuary with the intent of ticking off the Moonlight Buttress.

Driving the icy roads into the park from the north, I was humbled as always when I saw the size of the walls in the claustrophobic Virgin River canyon.

Eric and I rendevoused that night at the climbers campground at mile marker 23.8 on the road to Zion, and prepared for our next days rope fixing extravaganza. This preperation was hours of drinking cheap, potent, libations and smokations!

Wading the Virgin River the next morning was a joy, as it was only knee deep and a whopping 39 degrees....we were wondering where the PBR girls were on a glorious day such as this. The route starts as a 5.8 corner that has fun climbing, and varied movements, followed by a c1 pitch traversing uner a roof, and a drilled angle ladder pitch(easiest of the route). We fixed these three pitches, and spent the night in Springdale eating and drinking.

As per schedule we waded the river the next morning at about 5:00a.m., jugged our ropes to the top of pitch 3, and began the adventure. Eric got the dihedral pitch...180 feet of splitter c1. I got the roof pitch/chimney that is grunty aiding, followed by red aliens for 50 feet...Eric linked the two spliter straight in crack pitches...At this point we are racing the sunset. I embarked on the nutting pitch to be benighted, and Eric finished the last pitch with 5.7 free at about 11:00p.m.

The decent is a glorious paved trail that gently returned us back to the canyon floor and keystone ICE!!!

A very classic route, easy aid, great position and setting.

Happy Holidays, and a great New Year!

Gear Notes:

Doubles, and triples of yellow and red alien, 3.5 camelot is the biggest you need.

Approach Notes:

Wad the river and you are there