In August 2015, my partner Dow and I set out to climb the Beckey Route on Bastille Buttress but bailed after two pitches—beaten by the heat and my decision to back off the third pitch (yes, it’s “only” 5.8, but the runouts make it feel spicier). Ten years later, in September 2025, I returned and finally climbed the route with my friend Will, who had flown out to California for the week for some climbing.

The Beckey Route is a fantastic adventure up a striking 2,000-foot granite buttress on the North Ridge of Lone Pine Peak—a hidden gem featured in Fred Beckey’s 100 Favorite Climbs. True to Beckey’s style, the line is bold, elegant, and adventurous. The cruxes are well protected, but the moderate stretches often have long, serious runouts that keep the climbing engaging and heads-up.

It turned into a big day: 15 hours and 30 minutes car-to-car (but I think it could go faster). Fortunately, our preparation on the approach and descent paid off, and everything went smoothly.

This trip report includes a route overlay, map and GPS track, time stats, and pitch-by-pitch photos. Enjoy!