Trip Report
Attempt on Moonflower Buttress, Mount Hunter
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Friday November 27, 2015 2:58pm
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The Moonflower Buttress on Mount Hunter is one of the finest modern test-pieces on Earth. It has had several ascents and even more attempts by some of the best climbers from around the world. Pretty much every account I've heard from people who have either done this climb or even just attempted it, concluded that it was the best and most sustained alpine climb they had ever been on.
Needless to say, I wanted to give this climb a go, but failed miserably despite multiple attempts. Everything has to come together for a complete ascent of the Moonflower Buttress to the summit of Mount Hunter.
Here are some of my favorite photos from several attempts:
Have a look at this discussion for more about the Moonflower:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=2657906&msg=2657908#msg2657908
KristofferSzilas
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About the Author
Kristoffer Szilas is a mountain climber from Denmark. |
Comments
hobo_dan
Social climber
Minnesota
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Nov 27, 2015 - 04:17pm PT
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Steep
Big
Think I'll have to turn the furnace up a bit more and have another beer after those pictures
Thanks
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Prod
Trad climber
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Nov 27, 2015 - 04:36pm PT
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Cool TR!
Prod.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Nov 27, 2015 - 04:37pm PT
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Great pictures. What did you use for rap anchors? I assume a few vthreads. Are there fixed anchors due to all the attempts?
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overwatch
climber
Arizona
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Nov 28, 2015 - 06:46am PT
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Bolt that sh#t...just kidding. Thanks for the pics
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FRUMY
Trad climber
Bishop,CA
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Nov 28, 2015 - 07:01am PT
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Nice
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WBraun
climber
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Nov 28, 2015 - 08:44am PT
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After seeing all your stuff I'm moving to Florida where its flat, safe and warm .....
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Nov 28, 2015 - 09:04am PT
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Even reading this thread and the linked thread is an adventure...
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Larry Nelson
Social climber
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Nov 29, 2015 - 07:41am PT
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KS:
I am humbled just by your attempts.
Great stuff.
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splitclimber
climber
Sonoma County
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Nov 29, 2015 - 01:53pm PT
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Wha???!!! Amazing stuff.
the link is/was great too. thx to all who contributed to that thread.
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Nov 29, 2015 - 02:17pm PT
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You are freaking me out with the radness!
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KristofferSzilas
Mountain climber
Denmark
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Author's Reply
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Nov 29, 2015 - 03:18pm PT
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mike m, the route is surprisingly clean. The only fixed stuff I ever saw was two or three pitons on the Prow and an anchor on the top of that pitch for the pendulum. Apart from that all of our anchors on the descent were abalakovs.
Larry Nelson, I feel that attempting climbs that are likely too hard for you is the whole point of alpine climbing. If you get up a climb it means that it was too easy for you and alpine is all about getting your ass kicked anyway ;-)
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johnboy
Trad climber
Can't get here from there
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Nov 29, 2015 - 03:49pm PT
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Way out of my league but I get a swing at thru you.
Great pucker factor.
Thanks.
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kaholatingtong
Trad climber
The fake McCoy from nevernever land.
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Nov 29, 2015 - 04:02pm PT
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dude! whoa....
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BrassNuts
Trad climber
Save your a_s, reach for the brass...
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Nov 29, 2015 - 04:54pm PT
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Spectacular pics of some gnarly looking alpine craziness ;-)
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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Nov 29, 2015 - 10:54pm PT
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Bump 'cuz this is the real deal!
Always was intrigued by this route. Those images are amazing.
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limpingcrab
Gym climber
Minkler, CA
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Nov 29, 2015 - 11:44pm PT
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You are hardcore. Tons of great TRs popping up and I'm glad you took the time so I can read them in warm slippers on a couch!
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johntp
Trad climber
Punter, Little Rock
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Nov 30, 2015 - 09:44am PT
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Looks like comfy bivy. Not!
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WallMan
Trad climber
Denver, CO
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Nov 30, 2015 - 12:13pm PT
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Just below the Shaft was our high point as well. Not a comfortable bivy at all - correct! It was about 20 raps down from there - took us about 5 hours to rap. Yeah, all v-threads. The route was a bit too scary for me - lots of car sized mushrooms overhead. If one of those cuts loose and you are in its path - you are dead. Some poor soul bought the farm (in the late 80's I believe) from a mushroom collapse. But great great climbing getting to our high point. Most of is was pretty moderate - just the one tough aid pitch. Most of the harder climbing was still above us. Afterwards, I vowed never to do another cold weather snow climb where I could not end the day in a tent and free from objective danger. A vow which I have kept.
Thanks for the great trip reports Kristoffer and for rekindling my Mount Hunter memories. I am still hopeful of climbing the West Ridge. Failed on that route, too . . .
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david wilson
Trad climber
berkeley, ca
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Great to see these TR's - thanks for posting !
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BASE104
Social climber
An Oil Field
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I've said it before, but I love the TR's that include a lot of pictures. People will google the route and find this TR. The photos will help them.
Plus they are just cool.
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david wilson
Trad climber
berkeley, ca
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Another great TR - thanks for posting !
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wayne burleson
climber
Amherst, MA
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Great photos! Bad-ass of you to get on this multiple times. And nice to see some actual climbing on the supertopo forum...
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StahlBro
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
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Really bold looking route. Nothing like scratching around in crampons while your pro falls out. Yikes. Great photos.
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Ezra Ellis
Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
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Thank you!
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BASE104
Social climber
An Oil Field
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Keep the TR's coming, man. You are posting some tremendous Trip Reports. The photos are now cached here safely online, and anyone going up there to do the route can see the photos. They can find them with a quick google search.
In that sense, the Trip Report section here is a great resource. These just happen to be particularly good TR's of great routes.
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melski
Trad climber
bytheriver
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Can I call you,,DUDE,,Mugs route right??Looks STEEP,,Love that perfect ice above the prow shot,,poster for AK,,looks like you should keep rolling those dice,,chow mate
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