Type: Trad, 9 pitches, Grade IV
FA: Jay K Smith, Jeff Altenburg, 1978.
Page Views: 23,342 total · 113/month
Shared By: Salamanizer Ski on May 7, 2007 · Updates
Admins: Aron Quiter, Lurk Er, Mike Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer Ski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes

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Description Suggest change

Incredible climb on splitter, Yosemite-quality granite.  

P1:  Climb steep flakes  that trend up and right into the main crack line. The pitch stretches for about 200' and goes from fingers to hands with a choice to break the pitch at a sloping shelf about mid-way right at the crux getting off the shelf and over the bulge that the wall above forms. Pitch finishes on a great ledge with 2 bolts. 5.10+ 200'+

P2:  Move left on the ledge as it narrows and step down under the roof. Continue traversing below the roof using all sorts of holds in all kinds of places. This pitch actually protects quite well. Move left until you come to a crack going up where the roof has narrowed to only a foot or so. Move just a body length up the crack and set a belay with your feet in a pod (finger sized gear) for better communication with your partner or continue up the right angling crack above to an area with some big cut outs. 5.10, short and sideways or somewhat longer.

P3:  Climb up the beautiful right angling crack until it starts to peter out. You'll be below an obvious left facing corner which is the route we took, though you could go left through a vegetated area to gain another right angling crack. Interesting move get you into the corner, then stem and layback up to the spacious ledge. This is a very long pitch if starting from the "pod." With a 70m rope I was able to set an anchor at the back of the ledge and still sit back at the edge to better communicate (this probably ate up 40-50' of rope) with a 60m rope you might need a cordalette to tie off one of the huge blocks or use the rap anchor that is to the right just below the ledge. 5.9, 200'

P4:  The stunning right facing corner. Not much else to say except enjoy and again the pitch is long. With the belayer sitting on the sandy part of the ledge I made the anchor with about 15' of rope using a 70m so with a 60m you'll likely need to move the anchor up the starting ramp into the corner. 5.9, 200'+

P5:  After stressing out about where the first bolt is climb easily, if you go the "right" way to it and clip. Very fun face climbing on knobs leads up to a second bolt, then right to the third, and finally left to the anchor. 5.9, 150'

P6:  Move straight up off the belay to a bolt in the dike curtain, then right to a second one. Now start surfing a pair of dikes as they trend up and left passing a roof and a ramp/flake feature, continue another 30-40,' then step left to the anchor. 5.9, 160'

Most parties climb to at least here before rappelling, all the climbing is stellar. Above the quality of the route continues to be amazing, but the character changes from well protected cracks, to runout face climbing following discontinuous cracks and wild dikes up stellar granite. 

P7:  Face climb up to a shallow groove that ends quickly. Head up the face to a right trending ramp. The anchor is a little below the right trending ramp and about 15-20' right of directly above the groove. 5.6, 120'?

P8:  Follow the ramp right for quite a ways, 40-50' until you come to some flakes and and easy way to climb onto the face above. Once on the face you may still need to step right to gain a thin left angling crack that is followed to an anchor. 5.8, 165'

P9:  You can either face climb up the low angle rock for 120' or so to the anchor or continue to follow the thin crack as it angles left, until near the top of the wall, then step right to the bolted anchor. 5.4, 120'

Most climbers will want to rappel either (1) at the end of the right-facing corner (P4/P5, depending on whether or not you link pitches), or (2) after the first two face climbing pitches.  However, you can top the route out and walk off to the right, although the descent sounds a bit heinous.  Bring two ropes if rappelling.

Location Suggest change

Head up to the right side of the face then follow a terrace to the left, to the base of the route.

Protection Suggest change

Doubles up to 3".

Photos

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