The Bitty Buttress - 5.8

The guide book by Bob D'Antonio rates this climb as a 5.9- and I would certainly agree and even say that the final crux pitch may even be more like a 5.9+ This climb is surely a classic and was really fun to do. I must go back and lead the first and third pitches some time soon! The final crux pitch protects well just below the final crux move but during and above the crux is shitty to protect and my need to be run out a bit.

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Great climb. The crux on the first pitch is a weird zig zag for about 20 feet right off the ground. The 2nd pitch has a pretty burly crux close to the top. The crux of the 3rd pitch was the hardest for me. I got out of sequence and my right foot was trying to find something. All I could come up with was a shitty smear that was covered with lichen. My foot kept coming off and there was just empty space underneath the bulge. Had to yard on a nut. The last pitch (we did it in 4 instead of 3) had this really exposed traverse over a big bulgy overhang. Shoved my arms in up to my elbow and did an arm smear to get across.

We got to the summit about 10 minutes before the skies opened up and let loose with a drenching downpour. The walk off is more of a down climb and was really slick. By the time I got back to my pack, I was soaked. My shoes had so much water in them, it filled up the toe space.
Hiked down to the car and felt and looked like a drowned rat. Lots of BooYahs in the parking lot because we got down without injury.

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So, I made up the date because I have no idea when I climbed this. Great route. Very fun pitches with a good variety of climbing.