Moonlight Buttress

Moonlight Buttress, Zion National Park, Grade V 5.8 C2

"Hello Dave. I think we should climb Moonlight Buttress in Zion. Highly recommended"
"Uhhh, lemme find it in the book. Ahhh... Um... Andrew, there are no bivi ledges."
"No problem, I have a ledge!"
"Errr, OK. What about Monkey for a practice run setting it up?"
"See ya this weekend!"

That is how I ended up spending my first and worst night on a double porta-ledge. A cold, windy, March night one pitch up on Monkey Face with the ledge jumping and banging against the cliff.

Well, that is not the story I am telling here. This one is about our sloooooow ascent of Moonlight Buttress in Zion National Park.

Topo here.

The most important thing to know about this climb, is that pitch 1 really starts at the fording of the Virgin River. Cold! And in March it is rushing right along. If you are the sucker wearing the pig, you will need a stick to keep your balance. After that, the trail to the base is cake. We got way lucky. There was only one party on the route, 4 pitches up, when we arrived at the base.

Pitch 1 is the buzz-kill pitch on the climb. First, it is the only free (for mortals) pitch on the climb and I didn't bring enough gear (the aid rack was in the pig, doh!). Second, I was wearing my aid shoes. Hey, it's only 5.8, ya know. And, third, the hauling is ugly if you get the haul line tangled in anything below. The pitch is sharply angled, making it almost impossible not to get screwed up.

Two more pitches bring you to the start of a beeeaaauuutiful crack that goes almost to the top (you might need a cheat stick on the bolt ladder). This belay is interesting in that the one ton boulder you are standing on is literally chained to the main cliff.

Our first bivi was at the top of four. It is an almost perfect place to hang a ledge; in a corner, under a roof. Andrew had quite the plush belay next morning as I took four hours to lead the next, awkward pitch. Clip, clip, and up we go. By now the defining feature of this climb is becoming apparent, you are basically crack jumaring with a set of red, orange, yellow Aliens, or the blue and yellow TCUs. Every now and then you can drop in a "hold-a-truck" nut in the crack, making your lead look like you climbed it free.

Day three dawns with us two pitches below the top. And, it`s another day at the office to finish off the climb. By now, sleeping on the porta-ledge is no longer scary, just uncomfortable for a 6ft 3in body. We probably could have topped out the previous day, but, hey, why not enjoy the wall while you can?

This is my first complete grade V climb, so I am quite happy to reach the top. The feeling of accomplishment is almost indescribable. It is like mountain climbing; you are damn glad it's done, but at the same time you are quite satisfied/smug/exhilarated that you have done something that was in question to the very end.

There is so much good climbing in Zion. What's next?