I don't have a good recollection of this climb. I'm writing this trip report more than two years after the fact and without any notes. But here's what I remember:

A good climb. Some really fun and interesting climbing, unfortunately broken by large bushy ledges. A good-looking line from the road, though.

The route is described in the Urioste's red book and follows a line just slightly left of the center of the Frigid Air buttress. It has 11 pitches; some of them are really short. I used the pitch numbering used in the guidebook on the figure captions but we ended up breaking the pitches a bit differently.

The first pitch goes up the right side of a black flake (5.7). If I remember correctly there is a bolted anchor at the top of the flake and I stopped there instead of following the thin crack above.

I started up the thin crack above, then traversed left toward the tree. The drag was not too much of a problem since we were climbing on doubles.

I think I might have combined (I don't remember exactly) pitches 3 and 4.

The 5th pitch is a really fun one and follows a 5.7 chimney with great pro. I usually don't lead any chimneys because I'm just a big chicken when it comes to climbing with sparse pro. Eric usually gets all the chimney pitches but I begged him to let me have this done!

Eric led the next 5 pitches. I think he combined pitches 6 through 8. The offwidth of pitch 6 and the chimney of pitch 9 provide good climbing.

I got the final pitch, a great 5.9+ finger crack, one of the best pitches on the route.

 

Frigid Air Buttress, Red Rocks, NV

October 16, 2004 / 5.9+, 11 pitches

The Frigid Air Buttress. The route follows a line slightly left of the centre of the buttress.

The route is shown in red.

Lucie leading pitch 1 (5.7).

On the thin crack above the flake (starting pitch 2).

Traversing left on easy slab to the tree on pitch 2.

Pitch 2.

Starting pitch 3 (5.8).

At the belay atop pitch 4, below the fun chimney.

Pitch 5 follows a fun and well protected 5.7 chimney.

Starting pitch 5.

Ditto.

Higher on pitch 5.

Eric starting pitch 6 (5.9-).

Higher on pitch 6 (we must have combined pitches 6, 7, and 8 somehow?).

Eric starting up the chimney of pitch 9.

Higher on the same pitch, stemming by the second chimney.

Eric starting pitch 10.

At the belay below the final wall.

Lucie leading the final pitch, one of the best pitches on the route.

Higher on pitch 11 (5.9+).

Taking a break on the summit with Calico Basin in the background.

Heading back toward the base of the climbing and looking up at climbers on "Come again", a line to the left of "Frigid Air Buttress".