Traveler Buttress (Lovers' Leap)

By: Don Reyes | Climbers: Don Reyes, Larry Scritchfield |Trip Dates: May 12, 2001

Photo: BLAT_PHOTO

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At a few minutes after 12:00 noon, my partner Larry and I shook hands at the top of the Main Wall at Lover's Leap after toping out on Traveler Buttress. This is a fantastic route with exhilarating moves and awesome vistas, and is deserving of it's inclusion in Roper and Steck's Fifty Classic Climbs of North America. We started off by avoiding the regular trail to the base because of deep water puddles and ended up instead wandering through a large talus field, traversing numerous snow patches, thrashing through manzanita bushes, and scrambling over fifth class rock. Sometimes a bargain isn't a bargain.

Once at the base, we took care to secure our food and packs against the voracious local squirrels (the last time I forgot to do that it cost me two holes in my pack and the loss of most of my lunch!) I then told Larry that I was ready to swing leads today as my shoulder, which has recently been giving me trouble, seemed to be feeling a little better. Larry said that he'd like to take the crux offwidth lead on the second pitch which suited me just fine. I racked up and began the climb.

As I started up the first pitch, I was immediately taken aback as I began to comprehend the verticality of the route. The first and second pitches are pretty much dead drop vertical. Even though this part of the climb is replete with handholds, I still found myself taking deep breaths and moving much more slowly than I thought I would be on this 5.8 pitch. This first lead of the season was proving to be "in my face"! After what I thought was far too much time, I topped out onto a large ledge and started to belay Larry up. Soon, I began to feel raindrops hitting me at a fairly steady rate. The weatherman's prediction for "slight" chances of rain were looking much more tangible. All of a sudden, our idea of climbing with only a rope, a rack and the shirts on our backs seemed really stupid. Thankfully, after about ten minutes the rain dissipated, never to reappear for the remainder of the climb. Larry, however brought up a warm thick jacket, which he gave to me as he began racking up for the second pitch. At first I was grateful for the extra warmth, but then I realized that I would be responsible for bringing it up through the offwidth; a prospect I was not looking forward to.

As Larry began climbing, I could sense that he was filled with a confidence that comes from many years of climbing. Surely this lowly section of rock was no match for his superior offwidth technique. Trying to decide which way to turn into the crack is nothing unusual. Happens to the best of climbers I'm sure. A grunt here, a grunt there is to be expected when climbing offwidth cracks. Certainly this is nothing out of the ordinary. Taking extraordinary care to place one's gear is a sign of safety consciousness, not of tentativeness. Shouting "take" is a sign of........shouting "TAKE???"

Quickly I pull in the rope and hold Larry as he comes out of the crack. We had heard rumors that once a climber reaches a big flake on the right wall of the crack his troubles are over. Unfortunately, Larry tells me that there isn't any flake, but only the remains of one. Whether there was ever any flake or not seems a moot point for us now as we contemplate our chances of getting up this thing. Larry, not to be outdone by any 5.9 crack, fires up it again with renewed enthusiasm and vigor. "TAKE!!!" Now I'm getting worried. On the third try Larry manages to make it to the horizontal crack above the offwidth. I can clearly hear deep gasps as he catches his breath. As he launches into the thinner crack above I'm surprised to see that he still seems to be struggling. From my perspective it looks like the section he is on is no harder than 5.6 or 5.7 (I am soon to discover just how complete was the illusion). Finally, after seeming to burn over a thousand calories he shouts "Off belay."

Now I'm really worried. Not only am I faced with the prospect of following Larry on this seemingly heinous offwidth pitch, but I'll be doing it while wearing a thick jacket! I tried to think of a better way to bring the jacket up, but at the moment the only logical solution seemed to lay in putting it on and hoping for the best. I'll skip most of the unsavory details of the next fifteen minutes, but let's just say that for an offwidth, this crack required a surprising amount of delicate technique. More, apparently, than I possessed. After giving Larry back his now sweat-soaked jacket, I began racking up for the beautiful third pitch. This pitch takes you up a ever steeping ramp with the holds getting progressively less secure until one turns a magnificent corner onto the upper dike infested buttress. While I was at the arête and about to turn the corner, I found myself actually laughing out loud with excitement. Looking down at this point is an absolute must! Moments like this are what make pitches like the last one totally worthwhile.

A short traverse left brings you to a long stem into a corner and an interesting mantle move which I thought to be the crux of the pitch. The belay is on narrow ledges with a great view several hundred feet straight down. From third belay, two more easy (too easy!) pitches lead to the top. As I led the last pitch, I took a variation over what looked to be the most difficult exit. I didn't want the climb to be over, but as long as it had to, I was going to do my part to see that it ended with a bang befitting it's greatness, and not with a whimper. I mantled up the final few feet and found myself totally stoked as I stood at the top and looked down. As Larry joined me on top, he told me that some people thought that Roper and Steck put this in their book for the sole reason that they were both on the first ascent team. We agreed however, that this climb definitely deserves it's status as one of North America's classics. Even at a location like Lover's Leap, with so many notable routes, this one stands out as special. A testament to it's exceptional qualities, and a climb that puts a little extra meaning into the traditional summit handshake.