UKH

Currently looking at this route for the new SMC guide. Skyscraper Buttress (VI 7)

It looks to me like the Empire State variation has become the normal way it's done but I'd be interested to hear from anyone who's done the original version.

I'd also welcome any comment from those who've done it via the Empire State variation.

Thanks.

Don’t you love rubbing it in! Bastard.

Been on it a few times, always starting via the Gamma gully start as the icefall never convincing. Finished by what we thought was Empire State variation but Im not 100% convinced. Don’t know if youve got any really good shots of the face? We moved left after the easy groove above the crux (at a fairly obvious block belay IIRC. Then traversed maybe 20m left onto the face. I wonder if we did original finish? I’m not sure if Empire State goes further left?

Cheers for that, you did it with Graham didn't you? I'd asked him and was going to get in touch anyway.

I'm fairly sure we did the ESV but it's starting to look like I've opened a can of worms by asking!

I've also never seen the direct start in suitable nick.

Sent you a photo on Messenger. Looking at that and the current topo we definitely did the ESV and both it and the original follow pretty obvious lines. I think if you went left at all you probably did the ESV.