This is more like a trip report, since the route is destined to escape classic status.
April 1, 2000: Brian Cabe and I became April Fools. Wonder why there are so few routes on those grand sweeping white Navajo buttresses above the main canyon? Gritty rock, loose tiles and shallow bottoming cracks that do not take cams probably have a lot to do with it. Looking for a casual route to the top of Cathedral Peak, we came to try a line on the North Face. A fair amount of snow was still in place, so Plan B was the NorthEast Buttress, also looking good and allowing us to stay in the sun and out of the snow.
We dashed up the Angels Landing and West Rim Trails to the head of Refrigerator Canyon, then bushwacked south to the North Face of Cathedral. We third classed up the left side of the prominent sub-buttress at the bottom of the NorthEast Buttress until it got too steep, then switched to rock shoes and belayed the second up the gritty slabs for a couple hundred feet. (P1 & 2, 4th/5.4R, no pro, 400' to 500' total)
The top of the buttress provided an excellent view and great flat spot, with a small snowdrift against the wall. Zion was experiencing a nasty windstorm, and the short climb up the buttress put us fully in the wind.
A short headwall blocks access to the main buttress from the top of the little buttress. Picking the left-most of 3 likely looking cracks, I climbed 10 feet above the snowdrift (M1+) and placed a drilled angle. Not being too psyched, I handed the lead to Brian, who aided past my pin and then free climbed the first pitch on dicey cams, a few shallow angle pitons and a bolt. (P3, 5.8R A0 100')
I led the second pitch, placing one bolt, then a few manky cams, and then cleared the top of the headwall to easier ground, finding a bush to tie off for a belay, along with a quickly placed bolt. This started our tradition of mediocre belays - a tied off bush plus one 3/8" x 2-1/2" or 3" Rawl Bolt easily drilled in the very soft rock. (P4, 5.7R, 100')
Brian quickly climbed the low angle 4th class face up and a little right to a small bush and placed a bolt. (P5, 4th Class, 170')
I quickly led out up and right, turning the corner onto the North Face, to avoid the steepening rock above. Mostly fourth class, I placed a drilled angle for a little 5.7ish overlap, then tied off a bush and drilled a bolt for the belay. (P6, 5.7, 150')
Near the top, the rock was becoming exceptionally loose. Brian did a great job on the next pitch, weaving around to find reasonable rock, tying off tiny bushes before placing a bolt, then traversing right on loose shingles to a large tree, then right another 20' to a belay. (P7, 5.7R, 130')
For the last real pitch, I Beckey'd my way up a line of bushes, mantled on dirt, then traversed left past a 20' log perched on a ledge. A loose corner and some loose stacked blocks led to a big tree. (P8, 5.7R, 130')
Resistance is Futile. Brian led up looking for Manzanita. One last fifth class move behind a tree and we were on top. (P9, 5.4, 100')
Well, not quite on top. We found ourselves on a beautiful island in the sky. The view of Zion Canyon at sunset was magnificent. The 6 acre summit block of Cathedral Peak beckoned. We cruised to the near end of the summit block, then followed the edge left to find a lower angle and shorter access to the actual top. Not too far down we found a couple of spots we were willing to solo. (P10?, 5.4?, 50')
The top of this thing is really impressive. The top of Cathedral is like a cruiser floating on the sea of Zion, bumping against the battleship of Majestic Mountain across the way. The tops are flat and covered with stunning green carpets of manzanita.
No adventure in Zion is complete until you're in the Bit and Spur enjoying the libations. So how to get down? We didn't really want to rap the route, so we decided to check out "Hook Canyon" - a little canyon we had scouted that flows past the North Face of Cathedral, then hooks toward the col between Cathedral and Majestic. We rapped off the summit block and traipsed down to the col with just enough light to check it out. Selecting a large pine, we rapped the full length of our 200' ropes. Good luck put us in a not-too-steep V chimney. 20 feet of downclimbing led to a large log wedged into the canyon, handy for a second rappel 150' to the snow in the canyon bottom.
By now it was pretty dark. We slid and traipsed down the snow in the bottom of the canyon, Brian's Montana-style physique punching him through to the hip on every other step. A few raps off trees brought us to the familiar part of the canyon. Squeezing the last electrons out of our headlamp batteries, we wiggled back to the road at 10:30pm, and dashed to the Bit and Spur in time to enjoy the late-night menu.
Hard to recommend this route. Kind of loose. Definitely adventurous. Anyone foolish enough to try it should definitely carry a bolt kit to beef up the belays. 200 foot (60 m) ropes are highly recommended, especially for the rap down Hook. Some of our bolts may be hard to find - look next to small bushes. Good Luck.
