Lots of people get off route on Astro Elephant looking for the traverse. From the tree on the ledge atop guidebook pitch 4, follow the green line to stay on route. Start traversing and belay at the first green circle after the 5.8 chimney. MAKE SURE you don't go up above this. There are two easy starts going pretty much straight up (red x's in pic). If you go up you will be in 11R territory (or go get an FA!, mabye). Instead, move the belay left about 50 - 75'. Then go up following the green line. If you are on-route, there is a two handed super jug hueco to start off this pitch. Do a face move or two, slightly right to the dihedral (direct start into this dihedral is prob 5.11, starting in the mini cave w/ finger crack and poor feet). Climb it then traverse the top of the flake left, past a piece of tat, making an exciting 5.9 face traverse move that you don't want to blow. Above this place a md/lg nut to protect the second from a big penji, after that piece, keep going left around the corner 30' then up a splitter crack in a flare and belay above. It's easy to find the rest of the route from here.

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claytown

Oct 6, 2012

“Lots of people get off route on Astro Elephant looking for the traverse. From the tree on the ledge atop guidebook pitch 4, follow the green line to stay on route. Start traversing and belay at the first green circle after the 5.8 chimney. MAKE SURE you don't go up above this. There are two easy starts going pretty much straight up (red x's in pic). If you go up you will be in 11R territory (or go get an FA!, mabye). Instead, move the belay left about 50 - 75'. Then go up following the green line. If you are on-route, there is a two handed super jug hueco to start off this pitch. Do a face move or two, slightly right to the dihedral (direct start into this dihedral is prob 5.11, starting in the mini cave w/ finger crack and poor feet). Climb it then traverse the top of the flake left, past a piece of tat, making an exciting 5.9 face traverse move that you don't want to blow. Above this place a md/lg nut to protect the second from a big penji, after that piece, keep going left around the corner 30' then up a splitter crack in a flare and belay above. It's easy to find the rest of the route from here.”

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We're maybe half way up the route here and again wondering which way to go.<br>
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That's the Goat's Perch in the background.

Elephant's Perch - South Face<br>
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8. Lost Horizons 5.10 A2+ <br>
7. The Seagull 5.10 A3 <br>
6. King's Highway 5.9 A3 <br>
5. Myopia 5.11a *** <br>
4. Divine Guidance 5.11- * <br>
3a. Elephant's Eye Var. 5.10+ A3 <br>
3. Elephant's Eye 5.10+ A3 <br>
2. Astro Elephant 5.10a ** <br>
2.A. Sideline Variation 5.9 <br>
1. Sunrise Book 5.12a or 5.10a A1 ** <br>

Here's a shot of Guillaume, fully off-route and now dealing with poorly protected 5.10 face climbing.<br>
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Wheeee......

topo of Astro Elephant by Reid Dowdle, with some edits

Astro Elephant
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Marissa scoping the beautiful line ahead

Guillaume Dargaud on the second pitch..?
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I don't know if this route has tricky route finding or what, but is seemed like we were always wondering where the hell to go.

Astro Elephant
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"Don't go up this splitter pitch, it's off route"
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Photo by Aerili

nearing top of pitch 8, Foster is at the wrong spot. keeping going up behind the giant flake and through the notch to the right. pitch 9 starts there and traverses left.

Pitch 10. We went right (and then back left) around the roof feature.

Jenny on the amazing dihedral to finish the pitch that I described where many people get off route. belay is hand pieces.<br>
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You will be right on the nose of the formation at this belay.

Belay at end of Pitch 7. You could also go one ledge higher.

Pitch 5. Traverse left across ledge, climbing wide crack and then chimney in the process.

Approach pitch, to left of chockstone at base of descent gully. Approx 5.8.

Looking down the amazing p2. I've done the first 4p of Astro at least 4x and still never grow tired of it!! 7/18/21

Struggling to comprehend the view. The beauty of this place cannot be described.

Astro Elephant route overview shot taken from the campsite across Saddleback Lake. August 2014

Pitch 7. This is the pitch where people most often seem to get off route.

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