Whitney Portal Buttress, Wonderwall. This route was first attempted in June, 1978 by David Black, Kim Walker and me. Walker and I returned in April, 1979 for two more unsuccessful attempts. Jack Roberts and I made a first ascent on May 18-19 with a bivouac on the wall. Start from a ledge several hundred feet right of Sartoris and climb up and left past three bolts to a Class-4 ramp leading up to a huge tree. Climb through the tree to a flake, then past two bolts to cracks leading to a bolt belay. Move left to a two-bolt ladder, then pendulum left into a huge open-book. Difficult mixed climbing, or F10, leads out of the book to a sloping stance. Climb up, then left on a dike, then up a knobby face past a bolt to a belay. Follow a water streak into a low-angle bowl, then up and right to bolt anchors. Continue up and slightly right past two bolts to a belay at the base of a dike. Follow the dike up and left, then go straight up, then right to a ledge with a bolt. The crux pitch follows right-facing corners up and right to a point where it is possible to step left (F9) and climb to a belay at the base of a chimney. Two more pitches lead to the top. Eleven pitches, 20 bolts. NCCS IV or V, F10, Al.

Alan Bartlett, Buff Alpine Club