Direct South Buttress Of Mount Moran (Not)

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Mount Moran

Shirley paddling our way across Leigh Lake on the way to the South Buttress Of Mount Moran (failure)...which itself lies dead ahead (Aug. 2006).

In early August 2006, we rented a car (since we’re very careful about not putting too many miles on the cars we own) in Oregon and drove to Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park in hope of climbing the Direct South Buttress route (III 5.8 C1) on Mount Moran. If you did not gather this from the title, shit did not go as planned and we bailed off a couple pitches up when a thunder storm started rolling over us. On the upside, the route (the whole side of the mountain in fact) features probably one of the coolest approaches we’ve seen: a freakin’ 6 mile canoe (most of it on Leigh Lake) with a (short but for us plenty painful) portage! That alone makes me want to go back for that line.

Photos

Mount Moran

Our rented canoe sitting atop our rented car (Aug. 2006).

Mount Moran

Shirley paddling our way across Leigh Lake on the way to the South Buttress Of Mount Moran (failure)...which itself lies dead ahead (Aug. 2006).

Mount Moran

Shirley paddling our way across Leigh Lake on the way to the South Buttress Of Mount Moran (failure)...which itself lies dead ahead (Aug. 2006).

Mount Moran

Shirley in our camp before the failed attempt on Moran's Direct South Buttress.

Mount Moran

Our camp at the foot of Mount Moran's South Buttress (Aug. 2006).

Direct South Buttress (Mount Moran)

Shirley on the final approach scramble to the start of the Direct South Buttress of Mount Moran (Aug. 2006).

Direct South Buttress (Mount Moran)

Shirley getting ready for Direct South Buttress route at its base (Aug. 2006).

Direct South Buttress (Mount Moran)

Leading P3 of DSB (failed attempt). I think this is the "standard 5.9 variation". Though acc. to the topo, the standard 5.7 pitch goes right around the corner, I suspect most people end up in this dihedral as you sorta get suckered in by the clean, direct line up. Very nice pitch (Aug. 6, 2006).

Direct South Buttress (Mount Moran)

Shirley topping out on P3 of DSB (failed attempt). This was the best of the first ~5 pitches we managed (5.9 variation I think; Aug. 6, 2006).

Direct South Buttress (Mount Moran)

Leading P4 of DSB (failed attempt) - a long, low 5th class traverse pitch (Aug. 6, 2006).


Direct South Buttress (Mount Moran)

Shirley belaying somewhere on P4 of DSB (failed attempt). Leigh Canyon is below (Aug. 6, 2006).

Direct South Buttress (Mount Moran)

Shirley on pitch 4 traverse on the Direct South Buttress route (Aug. 2006).

Direct South Buttress (Mount Moran)

Shirley nearing the end of pitch 4 traverse on the Direct South Buttress of Mount Moran (Aug. 2006).

Direct South Buttress (Mount Moran)

Leading the steep but juggy P5 of DSB. Started to rain when we topped out on this pitch (Aug. 6, 2006).

Direct South Buttress (Mount Moran)

Shirley following pitch 5 (I think) of the Direct South Buttress of Mount Moran (Aug. 2006).

Direct South Buttress (Mount Moran)

We're about to get hit with a t-storm atop the fifth pitch of the Direct South Buttress route on Moran...we bailed from here (Aug. 2006).

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