Possibly granting some of the maximum exposure available at Cannon Cliff to date, this alternative finish to 'Mind over Pinky and the Brain' was part of a five year ambition of Bradley White as well as the reason for purchasing a Bosch hammer drill one year prior.   

  After climbing to the 3rd pitch of Mind over Pinky and the Brain, the route ascends straight up through a series of bolts to the large overhanging roof up above.  To push the roof, Bradley drilled two bolts on lead with the assistance of a tri-cam for stability and used slings as leg loops to aid through the crux roof section and set up a belay from above.  It was dusk and getting very dark, so for the sake of time, I did not attempt a free-ascent and used the same method of leg-loop aiding off of the bolts.  The roof will probably go free at a stiff grade.  When standing in a split stance between the two bolts and looking down at 500 feet of open air under my legs, I realized that I was very well looking at some of the maximum exposure available at Cannon Cliff comparable only to a few routes such as 'One drop of Water' on the Big Wall section. 

  After attaining the belay, I led with a headlamp up and right finding an undesirable, but necessary exit up slabby wet moss, and into the dense pine forest at the top of the South End. We pushed through with lights eventually finding the Whitney Gilman trail a hundred or more feet away.

No Guts, No Glory

Achille's Heel

Bull Dog

Muir

Our Mine's I

Noonie Direct

Mind Over Pinky and the Brain

Two Stoned

Quick Silver (variation on Muir Buttress)

Henderson

Pinky and the Brain

Start up the southern outside part of the large right facing corner to broken rock (5.3) to join Henderson before the grand traverse ledge 100+ belay. Get to the large ledge and access the the large right facing wall of buttress to get into and up an open book (5.6) to belay ledge. Ted Hammond and I got lost here on the next pitch and did one way or another to get up this wall (way beyond 5.7 and more like 9-10). Anyway the description is-continue up open book to move out onto steeper wall, up flakes? onto a ramp alcove under an overhang (5.7) belay 40ft. Continue up wall to a jam crack inside corner, move right again under overhang to surmount the right side to bushes (5.7) belay 100ft. Scramble up bushes and weak rock to finish up tunneling through the bushes. Aid was used on first ascent. Route finding is very difficult. Which overhang? Which corner crack? We chose the wrong ones. Another meat grinder to fall off from. Climb is about 400ft up but the last 100ft is 4th class. Adventure climbing and rock quality wasn't bad.

The first pitch is a low angle (5-1) slab with no protection for 100+ft to a 1 bolt belay. After the slab up steeply on fragile 5-8) rock to the corner left. Climb corner until there is an exit left to reach short wall to the ledge with trees under a large ceiling. Traverse right across to the corner on the right, climb up to and  around right a shallow ceiling onto a roof. Above roof climb to a large ledge to belay. From ledge move left to another corner and aid (A-1) or do crux free off of scary knifeblade first done by Ted Hammond . After corner jam between 2 blocks and go up right wall and belay. On the 4th pitch (5-5) head right and up to climb face beneath 'Muir Wall' (5-7) hand crack. After that belay. Used to proceed up and right to tree ledge beneath the final wall up and off of the cliff. Used to top off left of the Whitney Gilman Ridge. Last pitch and some of fourth pitch are gone. Fourth is doable but very dangerously run out. Last pitch is nowhere to be found in plain sight. We traversed to W.G.R. in 2000 to get off the climb. It used to be a decent climb and done several times.   

I split this pitch in two because there was a loose rock to deal with 100ft up. I had an epic time with the rock. Didn't know how loose it was until I met it during the crux. Rocks like that are such bad news and ruin the fun to climbing. It's gone. Trundled on rappel. Now it's like it never existed and the crux is great because it's so steep and solid enough, classic (5.5).    The start is still being worked out. For now go up the 'Odessa Steps' start and go right after the low angle corner facing south. At top of the corner is access to the white and green granite face. Climb up and left after stepping up onto the block or move right on foot ledge (run out from bolt and 5.7). Now move right on foot ledges until below the steepest rock. This steep rock ends with a protrusion. Also there is an excellent section to climb far right (way beyond my free climbing ability). Other various ways are available at higher difficulty but needed are bolts for protection. For now this way is on the weakest rock and the easiest moves upward. After steepest section move right and upward (5.0) to the belay ledge.    I don't know of anyone else that climbs on the south side. This area has excellent hand holds on the steep protrusions, foot holds on the faces and ramps that are clean steep and smooth. All of this is below the same belay station. To the right of this section the rock gets dangerous quickly.    I got half way up the second pitch (Serpentine pitch) in 2008 but Teresa Nagle and I got rained off. There are two ways to do the first half of the second pitch. Going right and up the slab ramps far right from the start has the best climbing (worst protection) and is a dead end. Going straight up and right is awkward could be harder (5.6). Either way the protection sucks on the second pitch so far and both are to the same dead end. Serpentine is being abandoned for now.

I did this climb decades ago and the write-up is virtually word-for-word from what I wrote in Appalachia, June 1972 (as was copied, with permission from me, by Peterson for his Cannon guide, and later "adopted" in "Secrets of the Notch".) A more modern description can be found in Jon Sykes' guidebook "Beyond the Notches".This is one of the few climbs that has actually tried to kill me. While on the traverse ledge (I forget exactly which ledge, P5 or P7) I encountered a 7ft high, 4ft square on base, pyramid-shaped boulder blocking the way. A pine tree grew behind it. It was going to be a scratch-and-wrestle job to pass behind, while simply grabbing the front and swinging around would be easy. A friend, Dave Isles, had warned me "about the lose blocks on the final traverse", so I went behind. On the other side I asked "Was the struggle worth it?" A gentle push sent the 3000-4000lb block crashing down the mountain with much "brimstone" smoke! Amen !Pitch lengths reflect the ropes of the day.1) Start just left of a small buttress about 200 yds (?? maybe less) south of the W-G. Climb in a diagonal on friction slab for 130 ft to belay below a steep wall. 130-140 ft 5.2 2) Move right onto more difficult friction and traverse right, descending a little to belay on the right side of a fractured gully. 70 ft 5.4-5.5 little pro 3) Easily up the right side of the gully; move right 25 ft at the top (pin ?still there??)up 10 ft then back left 25 ft to belay 70-80 ft4) Move left into the "yellow gully" (sandy rock for 20-25 ft). Now climb lose, scary, stacked blocks and flakes (still there?? after 40 years??) to the top of the gully, at the top move right 20-30 ft to a grassy ledge. 80-90 ft 5.4-5.55) Traverse right on a ledge 100 ft, move up ("just beyond a bush" ?! ) to a stance on an inclined slab which is 30 ft to the left of a prominent, open-book , watercourse gully. 130 ft 5.46) Move left 25 ft over 5.4-5.5 rock to a strenuous crack which is climbed 10 ft to easier ground. 40 ft 5.77) Move up on easy ground traversing right to trees 100 ft ("beware lose blocks")8) Move right to a corner; around this on the lower of two sidewalks ("beware lose blocks"). Climb a section of fractured rock to gain the Whitney Gilman ridge above the pipe pitch.

Above 'Bulldog' ascend the break up face to a long block and on top of block two bolt belay. 

  This pitch was bolted. Up the Short wall by crimp holds (5-7) to the ceiling to the the diving board block mantled. Up the  fractured left facing corner and climb grass clumped wall (5-9) and traverse right (5.8+) a little run out to the mantle onto the platform belay ledge.  

  Ryan did the nice crack and moved left and up with 2 pitons for protection. Lots of (5.7) and some (5.8) moves were made until the corner ramp to head is reached to a stunning inclined dihedral (5.9/A1) was climbed over onto slab to the belay ledge. Its way better to belay before doing the dihedral.  

  I went up the finger crack through ceiling (5.8) to enter and traverse to the right wall of a narrow ridge's edge with chock filled cracks. Move left pass pin and friction (5.8 crux) up to mantle onto ledges. Ledges end at belay (fixed stopper and pin) Rappel is doable.  

  Ryan From belay moved up right and back left to go directly up to crack corner below second diving board (5.8). After crack corner move pass the diving board on the inside of it. Move up to ceiling crack (5.8+ crux) and move left around ceiling and go up to ascend cracks in wall to the right at the top of the ridge.  

  Many rocks were removed on lead and seconding. There is much loose rock on the last pitch especially off route.    We had no trouble retrieving our rappel ropes from 4th pitch belay bolts. 

  For 6 years I've wanted to climb the diving board. It used to be called 'My Mine's I'. I got toasted from drilling on the lead and it took four trips to do it all.   The ceiling is very fractured and cams great weight. I opted for bolt protection below ceiling throughout this pitch.

Once at Pinky and the Brain's first fixed anchor belay move up and right to ascend through an obvious break in the headwall ( 5-4). After that move up diagonally to move left and up to a two inch crack in the corner and belay or continue to the brain slab by climbing the face near the corner 15ft (5-6). Do second pitch of pinky and the brain. Do third pitch of pinky and the brain and continue up right of crack and back left to crack to mantle (bolt) and then traverse to awkward mantle small stopper for pro for (5-7) move onto another traverse ledge. Move left several ft to another 2 inch+ crack and belay (can be split into two pitches). Pitch four climbs headwall above crack (5-6) tricky sequence to large slab area below giant ceiling left and up is No guts No Glory. Keep moving on up directly until 2 bugaboos are found. Now the fun begins step down from last pin and traverse right on friction (5-7). Friction 20+ ft and become relieved there's a large friend placement under the overlap above this slab. Continue traversing 20+ ft (5-7) to reach giant block just past the overlap ceiling resting on a the ledge. Use the crack made by the block for protection climb it up to the other end of the block and belay. This is a fantastic 80ft pitch. Rappelling from here is problematic. Move right to belay under terraced bush and grass clumped 150+ headwall. Climb very difficult because of grass clumps wall with good but sparse protection for 80ft to excellent belay ledge using discretion to what rock is stable and what rock is not. climb again up to do grass clump pull up mantle past inclined corner moving left onto tree ledge. Jump for joy your out of the worst of it. Move left around house size rock headwall and up left side to top of cliff. Enjoy the panoramic view before enduring the walk off diagonally left to the trail down.

Climb up the corner to the ceiling above the first pitch of Achilles's Heel (5-7) then leave by going left onto a sloping ledge. Traverse over to its left side to enter an inclining head wall. Go up a series of very steep switchbacks (crux). Extremely tiresome because difficult protection placements due to the angles necessary to having good pro. Almost entirely wire stoppers and often blind placements with long slings to minimize rope drag. All removable pro on this climb. Finish is onto another head wall left. All rock in this area looks like it should fall down. Appearances can be deceiving during Two. The perception then was directly right and up is a pile of stacked rocks. Staying left of that we ended at the top of the Muir Buttress. 2 bolts later a belay and then Jim and I rappelled to the ground.  

2/5 is Mike's assessment of the climb up the right of Muir Buttress. Climbed         to the trees onto the classic outcrop of several giant stacked blocks. Intimidated I stayed in the left facing corner until it becomes a hard short pillar with its small square top. Very nice feature. Above's the severe crux up the short lichen covered wall. Excellent on sight lead of this, Mike. We did Muir's second pitch to the old belay. We hadn't been here before.   There's ten feet over from the old belay the bolted belay.                  The first pitch to Muir's is gone. The start now is (5-8).    In 2013 I belayed Ryan as he climbed sixty feet higher above right of the top bolted belay on Muir. I refer to it as Muir direct. I couldn't get up onto the hard severe roof and Ryan rappelled down and we rappelled.

On the left side of the buttress face, I moved diagonally up on easy face climbing (5.2). This is a variation way up instead of the large right facing corner. I traversed under a undesirable to climb bulge and went right of it up broken cliff. Here is the standard belay 150 feet. Lots of loose rock potential on this pitch anyway up. Climb up left to large ledge 50 feet and this is the second standard belay. Traverse south on this ledge until it stops to belay 100 feet. Look at the short head wall and be perplexed (where is it (5.5?). Commit to a move left on shallow holds that does the crux. Easier than it looks. Continue up wide dike gully thing of lower angle rock and little pro 100 feet? Belay at a tree of choice. This next pitch is really weird. The arches are upside down in this section. Climb sloping friction for feet and handholds on the arches edges (5.2 and trees for pro), 130 feet or finish route up cracked outcrop 20-30 feet right. Belay at Pine spruce and Fir trees. Wander through the forest to W.G.T. I free soloed it on sight in 1986, after drinking a bottle of plum wine. Its the traditional way. That bulge of rotten rock on the first pitch, midway up the second pitch I sent a three axle truck size rock off the cliff and that removed that undesirable rock bulge. Such fun! Sobered up quick on the shallow hand hold crux. Presently below this cliff section it is very overgrown. There used to be a trail. This trail is mostly gone. The bushwhack from W.G.R. trail to Henderson's Buttress can be heinous. It is a alpine classic climb though. Some loose rocks, perplexing route finding problems and mostly trees for protection. For the few who would appreciate a life threatening easy climbing challenge. Henderson's sees many retreats. If you find your way to the fourth pitch, its a meat grinder fall down those upside down arches. Besides such things the climb is easy climbing most of the way.

I guided two beginners up this climb.    Started up buttress between Henderson's and Muir buttresses. Run out a lot of rope to good crack for pin before a lot of rope to the belay. This pitch although easily done (5.0- 5.3) is intimidating steep 4th and 3rd class. Belay has Henderson's 1930's to 40's ring piton anchored securely to his not repeated route.        2nd pitch up left onto block crested ridge. Aboriginal Rhythmic Implement (2000)] or Tom Tom is the winter route here too. Anyway the ridge is easy airy (5-4) with great pro. Its ends on up in the garden before onto the large slightly sloping platform split into two halves by the hand wide crack for belay. We called it the brain.    Pitch 3 goes up the obvious giant left facing corner. The physical crux is about 15ft up this corner with a technical jam lay back maneuver. After the crux a precarious loosely wedged oven size block avoided. Stopped above it and brought everyone up and with little effort (cool trundle) sent it off. I moved the belay over to the right and began leading up the opposite side of the buttress in a fun large right facing corner. I went only 40 ft up to very nice unprotected extremely difficult stemming. I retreated and moved the belay to go up the large corner.  I led up the wonderfully unique chock stone filled corner crack (5-5) to belay at fixed pins. Its was getting late To the right were old slings tied off to some questionable rocks and adjacent right the ancient 8 ft high, 20 ft long, 6" wide wafer of granite. We called it the pinkie.    4th pitch I led up and over it. What an adrenaline rush and the protection is a sling on the horn. Not good. The rope in between the rock wafer and the cliff its sharply edged. Falling is a bad option. I was delighted it wasn't difficult (5-6). After pinkie foot ledge right to recent rock fall depression up it then right foot ledge passed bush to cracked wall to belay hand crack corner alcove. Probably 60 ft. with less vertically.    It was getting dark. One rappel 165 ft ropes brought us back to the brain. On the south or left side of the brain is a block with slings used to rappel the winter route 'Omega'. Next rappel to the base of the cliff.    We started out walking down the rock pile scree field in the dark. We had pen lights.    There are loose large boulders in this area. I stepped on one and had a very painful ride down on top of it each bump pounded my body until it stopped. I slid off the block afterward wiped out. It left me practically immobilized. I didn't break any bones. Bloody hair and face, my friends wanted to call for help. I refused being rescued by professional rescue people. I could go on and did with their help. We got to the car late 1:00 am. I was slow as a snail but I did get myself down with John supporting me to stay upright over some of the steeper descending places. We nicknamed the event boulder surfing. Oh well we didn't take over the world!

An adventurous area of an adventurous cliff. South of Whitney-Gillman Ridge is a collection of butresses that are often quite loose even by cannon standards. Rock is less clean but good rock can be found by those with adventurous spirit.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in 0. Henderson's Buttress