Rock Climb The Moonlight Buttress, Zion National Park, Utah

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The Moonlight Buttress can be spotted from the road. The rock looks blank above that but a beautiful, direct, crack system runs almost the whole way up. This route goes free at 5.13a onsight or 5.12d. 10 pitches, 1200', Grade V. The best conditions for climbing are from March through May and September through early November. Temperatures in the summer can soar over 100 degrees or more on unshaded walls. Sandstone is weak when wet. Avoid climbing in damp areas or after rain. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in July and August. Seasonal Raptor Closures: Climbing routes on cliffs used by nesting Peregrine Falcons in Zion National Park are temporarily closed in April/March in order to protect these birds which are in recovery from “endangered species” status. The closure date is based on analysis of data collected from previous years regarding the peregrines’ arrival time to their nesting cliffs in the park. For up-to-date information on the status and maps of the closed climbing cliffs, please check the Zion National Park website at www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/climbing.htm. Climbers are responsible for checking the specific maps of the closed areas. The website will be continuously updated as cliffs are reopened.

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