Correction to Secor
The Dragtooth, Northeast Buttress
by Robert Grow
The Northeast Buttress of Dragtooth on the Sawtooth Ridge is
listed as Class 4. A more correct rating would be II, 5.4.
The first few pitches are easy fifth class on the east
(left) side of a sharp arete. Then the arete fades into
more of a face, and you head up, then left, to the base of a
big recess or open book. Climb cracks on the right wall for
about a pitch. Finish with a classic lieback. In early
season the lieback crack may be filled with snow, in which
case more difficult climbing (maybe about 5.7) on the right
wall would be necessary.
This route has good climbing with an alpine flavor. Retreat
would be difficult because the first pitches are mostly horizontal.
From the top, one way to get down is to drop down several
hundred feet on the south side, then traverse over to slabs
on Matterhorn Peak. Traverse and climb the slabs to reach a
trail. This trail leads to the top of Matterhorn and its
east couloir, which can be descended Class 2.
The information provided in these pages is provided by
interested volunteers and has not been field checked.
R.J. Secor, The Mountaineers, the Sierra Club and climber.org
are in no way responsible for the accuracy of any route
advice on this web site.
Safe climbers must be able to understand the terrain
and topography of the area they travel in, and they
must make wise route finding choices based their own
knowledge, experience and observations.