Shadow Buttresses

Shadow Buttresses is a climbing area in Arizona on county land within a proposed open space. It sits among several other climbing areas, with The Bulges and The Torch each about 0.1 mile away and Penguinland Area about 0.2 mile off, making it easy to link with those neighbors on a single visit. The climbing here covers a range of styles and grades. Five routes are listed, with three trad routes and two sport routes. The YDS grades run from 5.7 to 5.11, with Shadowplay at 5.11 and Shadow Boxing at 5.9 as the sport options. The trad routes include Ramp-Art at 5.7 and Hiding from the Torch at 5.9, both first climbed by Arjun Heimsath and Hanna Breetz. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. At the nearby Superior weather station, typical averages run from highs around 72°F in March and 72°F in November to highs near 99°F in July. That station sits well below the climbing area, so temperatures up high run cooler. For an overnight stay, Oak Flat campground is about 2.8 miles away. The Legends of Superior Trail is about 3.1 miles off, and the Arnett Canyon Trail #218 and Telegraph Canyon Trail lie within roughly 5 miles.