Pattie Butte
A scrambler's summit hidden below the South Rim
About
Pattie Butte is a remote inner-canyon formation on the South Rim, standing roughly 5,300 feet in elevation just north of Newton Butte near Shoshone Point. It is not a roadside viewpoint or a maintained trail destination — this is a scramblers' peak, reached only by descending off-trail from the Shoshone Point fire road and traversing the Redwall platform past Newton Butte to a saddle below the summit.
What's involved
- Class 3 scrambling for most of the route, with one exposed move: a roughly 20-foot wide crack through the summit cliff band that requires solid climbing ability
- The butte is built of stacked Supai formation bands over talus slopes, capped by a small summit block
- Summit views take in Brahma Temple, Zoroaster Temple, and Vishnu Temple across the canyon
- Ascents are rare — by some accounts only about once every two to three years — and a summit register documents past visits
This is backcountry canyoneering terrain, not a casual hike: no trail, no water, no services at the Shoshone Point trailhead, and full exposure to canyon heat on the approach and return.
Best Time to Attempt It
Full exposure to canyon heat on the approach and return makes cooler shoulder-season months significantly safer than summer for this already demanding scramble.
Trail Tips
- Class 3 scrambling for most of the route, with one exposed move: a roughly 20-foot wide crack through the summit cliff band that requires solid climbing ability.
- Summit views take in Brahma Temple, Zoroaster Temple, and Vishnu Temple across the canyon.
- Ascents are rare — by some accounts only about once every two to three years — and a summit register documents past visits.
Reaching Pattie Butte
Descend off-trail from the Shoshone Point fire road and traverse the Redwall platform past Newton Butte to a saddle below the summit — there is no trail or signage for any part of this route.
What to Expect at Pattie Butte
Pattie Butte is a remote inner-canyon formation on the South Rim, standing roughly 5,300 feet in elevation just north of Newton Butte near Shoshone Point. It is not a roadside viewpoint or a maintained trail destination — this is a scramblers' peak, reached only by descending off-trail from the Shoshone Point fire road and traversing the Redwall platform past Newton Butte to a saddle below the summit.
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