Denali West Buttress
The Fixed Lines and the Ridge to High Camp
From Camp 3 we climb to the very crest of the West Buttress, using fixed lines for the steep upper headwall. The ensuing ridge climb is sublime, with dramatic exposure and some modest technical challenges. After a 3000-foot ascent, climbers often arrive at 17,200 feet to find a fortified camp.
Route Section: The Fixed Lines
Elevation Gain: about 800 vertical feet.
Time: It takes most folks about 2 hours to get to the lines and another hour on the lines.
From 14 Camp, climbers ascend a gentle apron of snow that eventually steepens at a section called the Headwall. The Headwall spans the last 800 vertical feet to the crest of the ridge that leads to high camp at 17,220 feet.
The angle and condition of the snow and ice on the fixed lines can vary quite a bit. When there is snow on this portion of the route (usually through early May) the ascent can be very straightforward and not overly taxing. Later in the season, the Headwall becomes very icy and is quite a bit more physically demanding. Typically the angle is about 50 degrees with steeper bulges in spots.
Route Section: The Ridge
From the top of the fixed lines to High Camp is perhaps the most aesthetic part of the entire West Buttress route. The climber’s route follows the crest of a narrow ridge that offers breathtaking views down off both sides of the ridge. On the climber’s left, the terrain drops away into the Upper Peters Glacier basin, and to the left we look back down at Camp 3 and beyond to the Kahiltna Glacier miles below and to the south.
We gain about 1000 feet of elevation along the crest ridge, but it seems to pass fairly quickly as the scenery and exposure tend to keep one’s attention occupied. The climbing is mostly on snow, but depending on the time of year there can be some rock scrambling and icy sections along the crest of the ridge. We use pickets and ice screws for running protection, and there are a few short sections of fixed line below a feature called “Washburn’s Thumb.” Just before reaching High Camp, the ridge broadens and flattens out as we reach our last camp at 17,200 feet.
