F: Brother Buttress
- 11 routes
- 5.2 – 5.10-
- Trad · Top Rope
- Apr–Oct
- best months
Brother Buttress is a climbing area in Illinois, about 2 miles from the town of Savanna. It sits among a cluster of climbing spots in the area, with the Mississippi Palisades State Park Trails South just 0.1 mile away. The area has 11 climbing routes, with trad routes making up the bulk and a few top-roping options. Grades range from 5.2 to 5.10-, with the hardest route being The Old and the Zestless at 5.10-. Some of the routes are tied to a single climber, Dave Brown, who first led them in the late 1980s. Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons. Typical averages from the Mt Carroll weather station, about 9 miles away, show May highs near 72°F and September highs near 77°F, with July peaking around 85°F. Other climbing areas within a tenth of a mile include E: Twin Sisters, D: Open Bible and H: Indian Head. Mississippi Palisades State Park Trails North lies about 2.7 miles away.
E: Twin SistersRock climbingPhoto: Eric Schmuttenmaer from Downers Grove, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)0.1 mi- D: Open BibleRock climbingPhoto: Eric Schmuttenmaer from Downers Grove, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)0.1 mi
- H: Indian HeadRock climbing0.1 mi
- C: Sun ButtressRock climbingPhoto: Eric Schmuttenmaer from Downers Grove, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)0.1 mi
Mississippi Palisades State Park Trails SouthHikingPhoto: Curtis Abert, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.1 mi- Mississippi Palisades State Park Trails NorthHiking2.7 mi
- Plum RiverCanoeing8.6 mi
- Rush CreekCanoeing8.8 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- D: Open BibleRock climbing · Next doorPhoto: Eric Schmuttenmaer from Downers Grove, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- C: Sun ButtressRock climbing · Next doorPhoto: Eric Schmuttenmaer from Downers Grove, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- H: Indian HeadRock climbing · Next door
- I: Bee WallRock climbing · Next door
- B: Forgotten WallRock climbing · Next door
- A: SentinelRock climbing · Next door
- J: Amphitheater WallRock climbing · Next door
- K: Butter WallsRock climbing · Next door
- Mississippi PalisadesRock climbing · ~1 min drive
- L: Dihedrals AreaRock climbing · ~2 min drive
Best time to visit F: Brother Buttress
Best months: April–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
31° / 11°
9 wet
Feb
35° / 14°
8 wet
Mar
48° / 26°
9 wet
Apr
61° / 36°
11 wet
May
72° / 47°
12 wet
Jun
82° / 57°
11 wet
Jul
85° / 60°
9 wet
Aug
83° / 58°
9 wet
Sep
77° / 50°
8 wet
Oct
64° / 38°
9 wet
Nov
48° / 27°
8 wet
Dec
36° / 17°
9 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mt Carroll, IL, 8.9 mi away at 640 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
