Montana · Rock climbing · Townsend

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.

  • Best time to go · May–Jun, Aug–Sep

    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.

    1. Jan

      32° / 14°

      7 wet · 6 snow

    2. Feb

      37° / 17°

      6 wet · 5 snow

    3. Mar

      48° / 25°

      7 wet · 4 snow

    4. Apr

      57° / 32°

      8 wet · 2 snow

    5. May

      66° / 41°

      11 wet

    6. Jun

      75° / 49°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      86° / 55°

      8 wet

    8. Aug

      85° / 53°

      6 wet

    9. Sep

      73° / 45°

      6 wet

    10. Oct

      58° / 34°

      7 wet · 2 snow

    11. Nov

      43° / 23°

      6 wet · 4 snow

    12. 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.

Routes (11)