The Moonlight Buttress, as it is most commonly referred to, is one of the most popular aid climbs in Zion, and, as a free climb, is perhaps the most spectacular, and arguably longest and hardest, sandstone climb in the world. This stunning route tackles the namesake feature, a proud prow of rock that juts out from the wall behind it, via a singular, peerless crack that extends for 1000 feet from base to summit and never widens to more than an inch or two... the Moonlight Buttress is a feature of unparalleled, parallel perfection.
Ed. Note: It should be noted that the route already exists in the Mountain Project database here, described at a 5.8 C1 climb, but due to a lot of requests for free climbing beta, I'm submitting this description of the route as well.
First freed in 1992 by Peter Croft & Johnny Woodward, the route was originally rated 5.13b. That rating has since settled to 5.12d, but even this reflects the overall effort of the climb and not the single hardest moves on the route. This has been evidenced by a number of onsights over the past few years, and most recently, Alex Honnold's free solo of the route in an astonishing 1 hour and 23 minutes.
The Moonlight Buttress is a sustained journey up nearly flawless rock for it's entire length. It has pitch after pitch of difficult Indian Creek style splitters and corners, a few enjoyable face climbing sections, fantastic exposure, and great belay ledges. What follows is a detailed description of my experience on the route that may provide more beta than you're after. If this is the case, refer to the free SuperTopo description that is floating around on the web, or one of many guidebook descriptions.
Approach: Drive into Zion to a bend in the road and park in the lot on the left (Big Bend parking lot), or, continue on for 500 to a paved pullout on the right. The Moonlight Buttress is obvious. Continue on foot up the road, drop down to the river, and cross near a huge boulder on the far side. Pick up a great climbers trail to the base of the route. Begin the route well to the left by scrambling up a 4th class passage to the first belay. The approach takes about 30 minutes.
P1: 5.8, 130. Gear: Mostly full rack, slings & draws.
Climb a long, sandy left-facing, right-leaning corner. Near the top move right and ascend a hand crack to an obvious tree on the belay ledge.
P2: 5.10+, 100. Gear: 3 of each cam, slings & draws.
Runout, easy climbing up ledgey terrain to the right. Pull a roof (10+) on the right, and continue up an awkward lieback crack (10-) to the belay.
P3: 5.11c, 50. Gear: 4 draws & a #1 Camalot.
Traverse right and slightly down. The hardest moves, a step-down/stand-up sequence, come quickly on the pitch. A bit frightening for the second. Continue to a bolted belay on a ledge.
P4: 5.10-, 90. Gear: 3 of each cam, slings & draws.
Head up and right on a thin flake, then traverse back left below a roof to a corner. A difficult move here leads to a stance below a bolt. Above the bolt, step left to easy terrain (straight up is 10+). Runner gear well on this pitch as it wanders significantly. A bolted belay is above on terraced ledges and the Rocker Block.
P5: 5.12, 100. Gear: Full rack less the 0.75 Camalot. Slings & draws.
This is perhaps the single hardest move on the climb: A 12b boulder problem off the Rocker Block. Lean or leap sideways off the Rocker Block for the obvious hold up and right. Several hard moves lead to a good rest at the base of the long, left-facing corner. Lieback like mad to the anchor out right at a stance.
P6: 5.12+, 100. Gear: Full rack less the #1 Camalot. At least one sling.
The enduro pitch. The crux of the route is absolutely hanging around placing gear on this sucker. Lieback to a handcrack pod. Continue to lieback through a very thin section to a flare. Jam upwards, clipping the aid anchor out left along the way (or not), switch cracks to a system on the right and continue to lieback on easier ground up to the roof to a semi-hanging bolted anchor out right - the only uncomfortable one on the route.
P7: 5.12-, 100. Gear: Green Alien w/ draw, draw for the bolt, 0.75 Camalot, all 0.5 & 0.4 Camalots. No wires.
This is a great, wild pitch. It is also much harder than the rating would indicate. Pull into the chimney and continue up left side in past a bolt. Fun chimney climbing becomes concerning as the chimney begins to open up into a right angle corner. A strenuous move will get you from knee bar mode to jam/lieback mode. Motor up a long, gradually thinning finger crack. Climb to the Bivy Ledge and a bolted belay. Crazy exposure!
P8: 5.12-, 80. Gear: 0.3 Camalots and up, no small pieces or wires.
Splitter rattley fingers. The tough stuff is only about 15'. Bolted belay on a ledge.
P9: 5.12b/c, 110. Gear: Full rack (including wires) less the #1 Camalot and two of the smallest cams. One or two draws.
Splitter rattley fingers to sit-down rest. The tough stuff is only about 20'. After the rest, a thin crack & pin scars & crack switch lead to a bolted belay on a narrow ledge out right.
P10: 5.12a, 190. Gear: Full rack (including wires).
The Nutting Pitch. Tricky face climbing up the zig-zagging cracks past wedged blocks leads to cruxy, sandy locks to a no-hands knee bar rest. This whole pitch is pretty awesome, and after all the pure jamming/liebacking, the 5.12 face climbing almost feels easy. Skip the anchor and continue through a sandy 5.10+ roof and on up cracks and knobs to lower angle top out.
Descent: Walk off via the Angels Landing trail. This is 2 miles of paved trail to the Grotto Picnic Area which is 1.5 miles down the road from Angels Landing. Alternatively, rap (see below). Walking off is much faster.
Miscellaneous notes: The route gets sun at around 9 AM and goes into the shade late in the afternoon. The route can be rapped entirely with a 70m rope except for the second-to-last rappel directly down the face (not following the route). Some creativity here might allow rappel with a 70m rope. Regarding ASCA work: Most of the anchors on this route have been replaced/updated. The route currently needs: the Rocker Block to be re-secured, and for the second-to-last rap station on the face to be relocated downwards by 30 feet or so (to allow rappel with a single 70m cord).
Sandy, Utah
Really depends on your tolerance for hanging in your harness on this anchor. Rest of it seems to be nice. Apr 9, 2008
I'm thinking there are a few free routes in the park that are at least as hard if not harder than Moonlight. Timbertop in Kolob comes to mind.
Thanks for posting up. Free climbing beta is certainly helpful. Apr 9, 2008
Squamish, BC
broomdigiddy
Cheers May 20, 2008
Glenwood Springs, CO
Also, the 5.10 variation is a good free climbing option. May 23, 2008
An imperfect topo, but nice looking:
supertopo.com/topos/obscuri… Nov 10, 2008
Bonedale, CO
Western North America
Since people seem really interested in rapping, I'll say this:
The anchors low on the route, below the 5.11 face traverse pitch, seem to have been recently updated. There are two more anchors below the one at the end of the traverse with nice new bolts. Thanks to whoever replaced these.
The only problem is that it doesn't seem like you can rap from here with a single 70m rope. From the traverse, the first rap is only ~15m, but the next one is 40+m. From there to the ground is another ~15m. Luckily for us, just as we were realizing this and thinking of what to do, another party above us rapped past with 2 ropes and so we caught a ride.
Anyways, the anchor positioning makes no sense to me. If the first anchor below the traverse were ~10m lower, everything would be fine and you could rap easily with one rope. Maybe there's some logic to this, but I can't see it. Has it always been this way, or were the anchors moved when the bolts were replaced?
Either way, it's not a big deal, since the walk-off is so easy. I think next time I'll bring a single 50m rope, pitch the route out, and then waltz down in flip flops.
-Scott Nov 3, 2010
Golden, CO
I second the not rapping the route. Waltzing down in flops was most excellent! Apr 4, 2011
Bonedale, CO
Western North America
I don't think that any of the individual pitches would merit even a solid 5.12 grade at the Creek. So sure, maybe the length and sustained nature deserves an inflated "experience grade". I'd be interested to hear, though, from anyone who's climbed it lately what they thought of the crux pitch and the overall difficulty.
Again, I don't want to sandbag anyone or denigrate historic ascents (I'm sure that corner was THIN when Croft and Woodward did it!), but I do want to encourage anyone that feels good on IC 12's to get after it. No matter the grade, it's a stellar
route! Oct 29, 2011
My theoretical Moonlight training day at the Creek:
In the morning drive to Broken Tooth and climb Heat Searcher, Inflictor, Polygrip, and Unbelievable. Then in the afternoon head over to the Cat Wall and climb Johnny Cat twice, Kool Cat, and Wild Cat twice. If you survive, you stand a great shot at Moonlight. If you can somehow fit in a redpoint of End of the Line at 2nd Meat on top of all of this, you will most certainly send Moonlight. Nov 5, 2011
Western North America
Bottom line, this is a stellar route with great gear and continuous climbing, solid at the 12a-12b grade, but enduro rather than cruxy. I think there are a lot of folks you would not hesitate to jump on these pitches at the crag, and they should be even more stoked to get on Moonlight.
Maybe what I'm ultimately aiming to do is shift the perception of MB from a trade/aid route and super-elite free climb, to one that invites more free climbing traffic and ground-up attempts. On this rock, even "clean" aid alters the rock. I'm not saying that no one should aid this route, just as someone could go aid Astroman or the Rostrum if they wanted. But if it could be seen as a do-able free climb for more folks, maybe it would shift clean aid traffic to other routes. Dec 3, 2011
San Diego, CA
Great route, to say the least. I'm still working on the redpoint. That chimney to lieback pitch is the only one that really gives me trouble at this point. It's ridiculously physical and by far the hardest pitch on the climb in my opinion. Apr 8, 2012
It is an indication of just how we affect these sandstone routes of the desert SW simply by being on them, and the methods we use for our ascents have various levels of impact on this soft rock. We usually make these choices of our own free will and thus each one of us determines the long-term outcome of the routes over time. Without intending to pass judgement I must make the following observation .... with a paved descent trail coming within 100' of the top of the climb, choosing to rappel the route is one of those high-impact decisions.
jw
SLC Nov 15, 2012
Lakewood, CO
Boulder
boulder, co
Hike up the Angel's Landing trail, past Refrigerator Canyon, until you get to the fork at Scout Lookout (obvious cliff vista with outhouse). Going right will take you up the 3rd class trail to the top of Angel's landing, instead, go left at the fork on the West Rim trail for 1/4 mile. I'll post a picture of where you leave the trail.
The bolts are just over the edge, but you'll see obvious rope grooves on the ground from people using the tree to haul. Dec 1, 2014
las Vegans, the cosmic void
SO BUYER BEWARE DOES NOT REACH WITH ONE 70M. Feb 6, 2015
As far as shade goes, since someone else asked, the route gets morning sun and starts to go in the shade starting from the top of the route down. Pitches 5 - 10 get shade after about 1:30 PM and the route gets full shade by 2:30-3 PM in April. Apr 20, 2015
youtube.com/watch?v=83FCVWt… Apr 22, 2015
Basalt, Colorado
Best to link the last two pitches as one can get a knee bar after the nutting pitch to recover.
I find it odd that no one talks about P4 which is only 5.10 but pretty serious and involves some climbing on a fragile flake and run out above little gear in that flake.
Pitch 6 was grossly ticked. Including".3" written in chalk next to the crack. If you need that much beta and info, maybe you should stick to a easier route instead of covering one of the most classic splitters in the world with tick marks. Sep 29, 2016
Reno, NV
Here is what I'd bring for a rack if you are comfortable on the grade.
1 Green C3
3 Red C3
3 Yellow C3
4 Grey C4
4 Purple C4
1 Green C4
1 Red C4
We opted to rap the route as there weren't other parties on the wall. We only took a 70m rope. All of the raps are easy except for the second to last rap. We tried to swing right as we'd heard this would make it work. We couldn't find an anchor out there so I just left two stoppers, that I'd actually found in the bushes while rapping. Sure would be nice if the last anchor was just moved up 10 meters. Another option if you plan on rapping is to just bring your tag line up to the rocker block and leave it there. Grab it on the way down and the raps will be easy. Oct 10, 2016
Longmont, CO
Edit: Josh was absolutely correct. The bottom of the route does not receive morning sun. The top of the route does. Route is in half sun, half shade throughout the day. Comfortable, if not just a bit chilly, with highs of 70F in town.
We used an 80m rope on this route. This enabled us to haul (toss n' tug) on all the pitches except for the Traverse Pitch and the Nutting Pitch. We cached a water bottle on top of P7 but unfortunately this was drunk before we could redpoint.
Our rack consisted of the following:
1 0 (Green) C3
3 #1 (Red) C3
2 #2 (Yellow) C3
1 .3 Camalot
2 Yellow Metolious Mastercam
2 .4 Camalot
6 .5 Camalot
1 Orange Metolious Mastercam
1 .75 Camalot
1 #1 Camalot
1 #2 Camalot
Offset Stoppers (Gold, Blue, Red, Grey)
2 Quickdraw
4 Alpine Draw
This rack felt pretty comfortable and if you're honed on the pitches, this may seem a bit overkill in fact. Could probably do without the Metolious cams. Overall I wouldn't say there is much, if any, PG-13 climbing on this route. The traverse is a little spooky for the follower but if you're solid at the grade, and are continuing above, this shouldn't be an issue. Straight up on P4 is awesome, slightly run out, but secure 5.10+ face climbing.
The true crux of this route, in my opinion, is most certainly The Slot. It's physical, awkward, exposed and pumpy! It's a mega pitch and will test all your skills! I would add a few slot style pitches in IC to prep for this one...
One of the best routes I've done even if it's a little blown out, chalked up and crowded. It's a classic! Oct 12, 2017
Boulder, CO
For Josh's "Indian Creek training program", I'd add in "Curiosity" at the Cat Wall as well to prepare for the slot pitch. Oct 16, 2017
Oceanside, Ca
Chevy, Silverado
Offset cams were quit helpful as well. metilious blue-yellow especially. May 29, 2018
Washington, District of Col…
For the BD gear people my rack was:
2x 0.1 x4s
2x 0.2 x4s
2 yellow C3 (or blue mastercam)
4x 0.3
5x 0.4
5x 0.5 (two were red master cams)
2x 0.75
2x #1
1 set offset nuts
0.3/0.4 and 0.4/0.5 offset cams
5 slings, 4 draws
This felt very comfortable, you could probably be fine with less but its nice to have an extra or so of the finger sizes.
I took a #2 and don't really know where you would even place it, not needed.
P9 felt like the crux, probably because your so tired by then.
Fantastic route! 6 Indian creek splitters stacked onto of each other!
Please stop aiding this route! It is too spectacular to have it worn away before our eyes! Apr 7, 2019
SLC
Please do your part to pick up your micro-trash from you and others. The NPS would be very disappointed if they were to see the mess to be found on this route. Remember: climbing in Zion is a privilege not a right. Thanks for the future effort to keep the park clean. Jan 29, 2020
Minnetonka, MN
Reno, NV
Bend, OR
Modesto, Ca
Montreal, QUÉBEC
They also told us that we shouldn't have been on the route since we where there. Then they asked us to rig a top rope so that they could try the first pitch of the dihedral. We really wondered how they got there since they looked like total beginners. They said they used the bolt ladder to get to the Rocker.
I am very surprised that no one has chopped that bolt ladder yet, making it little harder for those gumbies to get in the way of everybody.
Anyway, the climbing was amazing! Nov 26, 2021
Billings