Cardiac Arêtes provides fun climbing on generally great rock. It’s a worthy objective in and of itself, but it would also be a nice Plan B if there is a party on Dihedral of Horrors.  The following three pitch description is how we climbed it, which seemed pretty reasonable, but might not be spot on the original line. There are a lot of options for belay stances throughout, and the five original pitches can be linked in a number of different ways.

P1 - (55m 5.8+) - Start in the same spot as Dihedral of Horrors and Annals of Time.  Climb up the sparsely protected slab, or start in the more prominent 4th class trough/weakness to the right. Eventually move up and left through some obvious blocks (marked 5.6 on the Gams guidebook topo) to reach a ledge. At this point, we continued up the first blocky dihedral we encountered, which was steep, right-leaning, a bit licheny, but provided good climbing. Pull some exposed 5.8/5.9 moves and belay on a comfortable ledge at the top of the dihedral. The anchor took small nuts and micro cams, but you could also sling a big block at another stance about 5-10’ lower.

In hindsight, it seems like this blocky corner may be off route of the original line, or the “easy 5th” described in the Gams guide, but either way, it was a fun pitch and appears far more engaging than the alternative. For easier access to the upper portion of the climb, perhaps bypass this initial corner system and continue up the ramp leading toward Dihedral of Horrors. Look for another “easy 5th” weakness leading up and right.

P2 – (60m 5.9 or 5.10-) – From the top of P1, follow a foot traverse on the slab out right, cut back hard left, then head straight up, shooting for a prominent tree. Pull through some awkwardness here and there to gain easier climbing above. Move up and right (out of view of the belay) to access the east-facing aspect of the wall which you have thus far been unable to see. Either belay here if you want to watch your partner as they lead the crux, or if you’ve managed your rope drag, continue into the 5.9 (or 5.10- variation) crux section.

We chose the left variation as it looked cleaner and more appealing than the original 5.9 water streaked crack to the right. The Gams guide gives the left variation a rating of 5.10- as a “steep, thin hand crack,” but there is actually a variety of hand sizes on this steep, clean splitter with lots of good incuts and edges. It felt like 5.9, maybe 5.10a, and was undoubtedly the best part of the climb. Belay on a ledge directly above the steep splitter.  Excellent!

P3 – (40m 5.8) – Continue up the obvious system of cracks and weaknesses, eventually pulling through a few bulges at 5.8 or so. Belay on top. Another fun pitch!

Locate the descent rappel on a large tree, uphill and to the right (two ropes needed). Complete the rappel then navigate some loose, exposed, shitty downclimbing (or single rope rappel again for another obvious tree). Slog down the drainage back to your gear at the base of the wall. Extra suffer points are awarded if you decided to leave your approach shoes at the base.

Cardiac Arêtes

Omega Triangle

Dihedral of Horrors

Manufactured Crisis

Annals of Time

Canada Regional Air

Omega Crack

The Edge of Horror

Sherm's Crack

Guardian of Death

Approach via Manufactured Crisis or Omega Crack trail. The route starts just right of the triangle proper, and enters the triangle in the 2nd pitch.

P1 Start about 20' right of the Trapezoid Chimney route (where it starts as a dihedral that leads into the CH). Climb to a hand crack that steepens to fingers through a bulge (5.10-). Step left on a ramp to a bit of a loose stem, then go left again on another ramp into the Trapezoid CH (5.7). Belay in fractured rock just above a chockstone on a ledge in the CH. While this crux and the rest of the route is solid, expect a little loose rock on this pitch above the crux.

P2 step left onto the first (small) ledge of several ledges on the triangle. Scramble up to the steep wall. Yellow Alien-sized pro in a horizontal, then either straight up (commiting 5.10-), or go left to a really cool and easier hand traverse that leads back right to above the pro. Another horizontal pocket for gear, then 5.10 through a bulge to the next ledge. Belay here, short pitch.

P3 Bolt-protected 5.11 boulder move (hard to figure out) to a sustained 5.10 thin crack (tricky pro, but not runout) that widens to 5.10- fingers before the next ledge. Climb the crack above the ledge (5.10- off-balance fingers to 5.10- hands). Belay immediately above the crack. Approx. 25 meters, sustained.

P4 Traverse left (West) on the diminishing ledge to the bolt on the steep face. Go up past another bolt and good gear (5.10-) and mantle onto a small ledge with a leaning dihedral. Climb this (5.11- stem, blue C4 in pod) to the next small ledge and belay.

The Zanzibar finish, an alternate pitch to P4&5, was climbed on an earlier recon. Go straight up immediately above the belay into the deep, blocky dihedral (5.8) capped by a roof. Traverse right under the roof, then wander up easy 5th to the right-leaning ramp. Full 60m pitch.

P5 Climb straight up past a flake (5.10- LB) just above the belay, and on to easy 5th class ground. Tend up and right toward a right-leaning ramp, then a 5.6 move to blocky ledges. Belay here.

DESCENT: 4th class traverse (steep, exposed) into the small, steep gully that leads down to the big pine tree. Keep traversing at the pine tree (3rd class) into the big gully. Walk down the gully toward the base of the Ship's Prow formation to find a hard-to-see double-rope rappel anchor.

Another fun Omega Buttress diversion, though fuller value than Annals of Time. A great day involves climbing Dihedral of Horrors, then rapping in from a tree to Annals of Time's final crux pitch.

P1: 200', 5.7R: Same as for

Annals of Time

P2: short, 5.9: Move to the right end of the broad ledge and climb a short dihedral with a 5.9 move into easier terrain, trending right for the obvious dihedral.

P3: 120', 5.9: Full value! A powerful lieback up a flake (3" piece is great!) brings you into an awesome dihedral. Use a variety of jamming and stemming moves to reach a point below the roof. Here, bust a tricky move left and set a semi-hanging belay beneath an obvious crack in the roof.

P4: 70', 5.9: Pull the roof in the finger-sized crack and traverse right underneath the huge diamond-shaped roof (Ship's Prow). Beautiful moves, awesome location.

Manufactured Crisis is something of an anomaly in the Tetons. Featuring two fat bolts at the crux, the route seems like a good tick for someone climbing at the grade. However, it is somewhat gritty (probably due to the lack of ascents) and my partner pulled out the upper pin which is marked on the topo when the rock surrounding it broke. The moves are fun, but the upper section felt devious and slightly dangerous to me.

P1- Follow the main dihedral up about 15-20', traverse right on good holds to avoid an obvious difficulty in the main corner, then cut back left to blocky rock. Pull a quick lieback and end at fixed slings around a horn. 5.8, 100'.

P2- Pull a quick 5.8 mantle above the belay (#5 stopper key) and continue up the dihedral to the short bolted face. Pull the crux on crimps (or A0 the section :)) and continue up and slightly left, always continuing up the corner. Clip an OK looking pin and continue upward. Find gear when you can, and pull a small bulge at the top of the corner. 85', 5.11b

P3- From a semi-hanging belay, continue up the corner using crack and lieback technique. 5.9, 85'

NOTE: Pitches 2 & 3 can be linked.

The final pitch is really the bread & butter of this route.

P1- 5.7R, 200': Climb a slab with minimal pro and trend left. Aim for a large, talus-covered ledge with a big tree. NOTE: The ledge can be reached by a gully to the left, but this is often wet, has much loose rock, and is generally unpleasant. You can also avoid the runout 5.7 portion by climbing an easy crack just to its right.Check the book for details if you want.

P2- 5.8, ~180': Spot a finger-hand crack on a blunt arete at the left end of the ledge. Climb this to a grassy ledge, where a belay can be set up (the seam you can see here is 5.10 and hard to protect, but with good moves). Continue up easy ground, aiming for the splitter crack in the upper headwall. Belay below this crack.

P3- 5.9, 120': Sweet finger-hand crack with a few nice jugs! Pull through three mini-roof sections utilizing finger and hand james. Very fun.

A modern, traditional, mixed, 3 pitch route, rising out of 747 Gulley. A dry 5.9 pitch with a bit of ice and snow but mostly rock. Then an easy, 4th class, snow/slab ledge traverse. Then the marquee mixed/ice pitch. See photos. With a relatively short approach this route could be a decent diversion when the early season skiing is poor and it is cold and cloudy. Sun would be bad.

OMEGA CRACK - P1: 5.12b, P2: 5.12b

The finest rock route I've done in the Tetons. Exceptional rock. Very clean cracks, with technical and powerful face climbing. Far and away the steepest crack in the Tetons.

This crack lies on a small buttress to the east of the Omega buttress approach gully and makes a great add on to the longer death canyon routes. Great finger locks down low lead to a short crux pulling the roof followed by more excellent jamming higher.

4 pitch mini-wall, with huge roof, boulder problem, project.

P1: start just right of Manufactured Crisis, right diagonal crack with small overhang, slab, 5.7 to ledge, 1bolt.*

P2: Step left onto arete, 5.9, up and left, 5.9, to 2 bolt anchor. Heady.***

P3: hand crack and slab, belay under roof, 5.10 **

P4: huge roof with fixed gear, A1 (or free: 45 cm of hand movements remain unsent)***

P5: East face right of arete' 5.5

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Omega Buttress