Coast Range Outdoors

With a heatwave settling in over Southwest BC, AJ and I decided on some higher elevation climbing to chase down some cooler temps. We skimmed through the Alpine Select and decided to give Blackcomb Buttress a try. This climb had been on my radar for some time, and it felt like a good opportunity to go check it out and give it a try.

There are four prominent lines that can be chosen to climb up Blackcomb Buttress. On lookers left of DOA, there are 3 ribs that form The Black Ribs. All of which go at around 5.7. On lookers right of DOA, is the DOA buttress, which also goes at 5.7. I reached out to my friend Jason Budd who had climbed most of the lines, and he said his favourite was the far lookers left rib. We decided to go with that. Thanks Jason for the beta!

Overall, the approach to Blackcomb Buttress is about as Euro as it gets in Canada. We took the Blackcomb Gondola up, and after a short hour and 15 minute approach, we were at the climb. Very civilized.

Overall, the climbing is very type 1 fun. Although there’s still a bit of loose and funky rock in isolated spots on the route, for the most part the climbing is on solid granite. For the most part, the buttress goes at mid-5th, with a few moves of 5.7 on the upper headwall pitch. Pitches can be simuled or broken up. We did the climb in 4 long pitches. The climbing can easily be protected, and there are many options to build anchors anywhere on the route.

The quickest way off Blackcomb is to hike down boulder fields towards Body Bag Bowl. Then, hike down Body Bag Bowl and wrap around into Lakeside and connect with trails back to the Blackcomb Gondola. The descent is a bit unpleasant but it goes by quickly, and is well worth it for the great climbing to be had on the way up.

Blackcomb Buttress is a fun objective worth checking out. The rock quality is quite solid for the alpine, the views are phenomenal, the access is easy, and the descent down the gondola and straight to RMU was a nice way to finish off the day.

Gear we brought: Single 70m rope. Single rack of BD cams to 3″. Half a dozen alpine draws. Nuts. Anchor material. We climbed the route in approach shoes and at no point felt that rock shoes were necessary, but if you are at questioning whether you need rock shoes, the approach is so quick that it doesn’t hurt to pack them.