Reach the notch between the Whiskey Bottle and the Indian via 1. a hand to ow crack (looks 5.10-ish) on the south side; 2. a scramble from the north side; or 3. rap from the top of the Indian.  The south side crack looks best, and will be the only quality climbing you'll do (see below).

Creatively build an anchor on the notch, step out on the south face, and climb a mostly thin crack to a ledge below the summit block.  The rock in this whole section is BAD, and there are 5.10 moves with pro in sandy cracks.  Might be partly aidable.  From the ledge, clip a bolt, then do a couple 5.11 moves to better holds and the top - OR, stick clip the anchor first for a TR (which we did).

The Whiskey Bottle

Dawn of an Age

The Cowboy, Mutton Bustin'

The Indian

This is the actual Dawn of an Age - it has mistakenly been placed on Blue Gramma Cliff for years (I put a note there as well).

Climb 80' of mostly fists to an anchor on the right.

From the parking area, look for a bowl-like feature just left of the cliff's prow.  Hike up and scramble (4th Class) into the bowl from the right.  From the upper right side of the bowl, enter an easy, narrow chimney which exits near the top of the lower cliff band. Climb up the left side of another bowl, following cairns, then traverse right under the final cliff band under the towers, until more cairns lead you through the band to the southern base of the towers.

On the south side of the towers, climb at 5.7 to the notch between the Cowboy (easternmost) and the Indian (middle) towers.  Belay here, or climb easily up the north side of the Cowboy to a small headwall with three new bolts.  You can aid the bolts, or free climb at mid-5.10 to the top.  Note: this was not the first ascent of the tower, which is unknown, but it's a good, easy tower tick if you're into that.

This climbs the middle tower of the group.  From the notch between the Cowboy and Indian (see Cowboy description), walk out a ledge on the north side (optional belay, better for communication) to it's end.  Climb up and right for 15' 5.9-ish, mantle awkwardly onto a small ledge, kneel up and clip a bolt.  Aid to a 2nd bolt (may go free - 5.10?), then free climb small edges up and left to a horizontal crack.  Place pro carefully (soft, small-medium cams), then traverse left around corner and make final soft moves to the top.  Rap to the west, to the ground, or to the notch between Indian and the Whiskey Bottle if you plan to do that.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Three Tower Buttress