Bukowski Buttress
- 11 routes
- 5.9 – 5.12a
- Sport
- May–Jun, Aug–Sep
- best months
Is Bukowski Buttress open right now?
No closures listed
The Forest Service lists no closures for Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest.
As of · Source: USFS · Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Bukowski Buttress is a sport climbing area in the Townsend Ranger District of the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest in Montana, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among several other climbing spots, with Blue Collar Wall, Avalanche Gulch and Nude Beach Cove all about 0.1 mile away. The climbing here is sport, and the grades run from 5.9 up to 5.12a. The Mergenthaler family has left its mark on many of the routes, including Serenity Now at 5.9 and War All the Time at 5.12a. Bang for Buck and Love is a Dog from Hell are both around 5.10. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Helena run to highs in the mid-80s in July and August, with lows in the mid-50s, though that station sits several hundred feet below the buttress and temperatures up high run cooler. For an overnight base, West Big Belts Gfa - Whites Gulch Cua is about 2.9 miles away, and Hellgate Campground is about 3.8 miles off.
- Blue Collar WallRock climbing0.1 mi
- Avalanche GulchRock climbing0.1 mi
- Nude Beach CoveRock climbing0.1 mi
- Bilk MountainHiking1.9 mi
- West Big Belts Gfa - Whites Gulch CuaCamping2.9 mi
- Hellgate RidgeHiking3 mi
Hellgate CampgroundCampingPhoto: Recreation.gov (RIDB) / public domain3.8 mi- CarpenterHiking4.5 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Blue Collar WallRock climbing · Next door
- Avalanche GulchRock climbing · Next door
- Nude Beach CoveRock climbing · Next door
- Nude Beach SW FaceRock climbing · Next door
- Nude BeachRock climbing · Next door
- Hellgate GulchRock climbing · ~3 min drive
- Winter WallRock climbing · ~3 min drive
- Big Belt MountainsRock climbing · ~20 min drive
- Beaver CreekRock climbing · ~29 min drive
- Evening RockRock climbing · ~33 min drive
Also worth it near here
Best time to visit Bukowski Buttress
Best months: May–June and August–September. 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
32° / 14°
7 wet · 6 snow
Feb
37° / 17°
6 wet · 5 snow
Mar
48° / 25°
7 wet · 4 snow
Apr
57° / 32°
8 wet · 2 snow
May
66° / 41°
11 wet
Jun
75° / 49°
11 wet
Jul
86° / 55°
8 wet
Aug
85° / 53°
6 wet
Sep
73° / 45°
6 wet
Oct
58° / 34°
7 wet · 2 snow
Nov
43° / 23°
6 wet · 4 snow
Dec
33° / 14°
7 wet · 5 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Helena Rgnl Ap, MT, 19.2 mi away at 3,828 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
