A Bit Too Short

A Bit Too Short (5.6 / 5.7) climbs the slab between "Direct" and "Dharma Initiative". It STARTs about 100 ft up-gully of Direct. (See Topo/Photo posted to "Main Slab")

 Kurt Winkler's excellent sketch topo ( I got it from Brad White, thus mis-attributing it for years, sorry Kurt) shows the climb starting about 100 ft above the "toe", passing 3 bolts. Sept 2020 I climbed it, starting from the "toe" (and mistakenly thinking we were on "Direct") and finding four bolts. Starting at the "toe" increases the length of "pitch 1" (vs starting "100 ft up the gully" ), resulting in an "unorthodox" belay at the single 3rd bolt.  I guess you are supposed to start "100 ft up" and climb at a left-rising diagonal to Bolt #1, or maybe Bolt #2.

We arrived at the base (the toe) just as the sun was reaching the face, and the acute angle allowed us to see Bolt #1 and, I think, Bolt #2.  

Anyhow, here's is how we did the climb with the unorthodox single-bolt belay about 140 ft up. We actually started from a ledge about 10-15 ft up, but unless you scramble all the way to the first crack, about 30-35 ft up, I really doubt you could make the normal anchors with a 60m (200 ft) rope.  

1) [see Photo "RW at Bolt #1] From the talus at the base, scramble up to a dark crack that is more-or-less in the center of the slab. (Gold, #2 Camalot) Up this, then, passing one bolt, head for a small inside corner just to the right of some vegetation. Don't climb the corner, but step right onto the face below it to a thin crack (gear). Up this to a stance and the 2nd bolt just below a crack/weakness of less-that-stellar rock. (If you are going to break up into 2 pitches, this stance is the best belay.) Up the crack-weakness, then left to the 3rd bolt (we belayed here) Above the 3rd bolt, move left anbd up on grey rock headed for a flake/overlap about 30-35 ft above the 3rd bolt (5.4-5.5 R). Gear in right side of flake, then climb slab past 4th bolt headed for a small patch of vegetation up and right. Move or two at the vegetation, then either a few moves right to dbl bolt anchor at a cramped belay, or a few mnoves left into a "V" groove and a gear belay. 5.6-5.6 About 230-250 ft from talus(70-75m)  or two pitches of approx. 130 ft and 110 ft.  

2) Up the clean slab past several bolts to a dbl bolt anchor.  150 +/- ft,  5.5-5.6 

3) [Photo (s)] Continue up the clean slab, passing over several ledges and occasional crack.  150 +/- ft  5.3-5.4 

4) Continue up easily to a dbl bolt anchor. 5.2-5.3 160 ft +/- [From here it is very easy to move the 40-50 ft left to the base of Direct's really great "White Slab Pitch", which is what we did. 

The actual climb continues: P5) Up to a dbl bolt anchor about 10-15 ft right of the anchor on Direct.  P6) Climb over the short "headwall" (bolt) and up to a tree with old sling.

We continued thus: P5 on Direct  Up the clean white slab passing several (6? 7?) bolts to a double bolt anchor at a small ledge. Crux is near the bottom.  There is a second, older double bolt anchor about 15 ft to your right. (I think, on "A Bit Too Far")   130 +/- ft  5.6 - 5.6+ 

6) (on Direct) Over the overlap (find the "hole-hold" !) then past 1 bolt to a single bolt anchor.  180 ft 5.2 - 5.3 

Descent: 

1) Rap from the top, single-bolt anchor. with double 60m ropes. ( a 50m might make it with stretch...but if not just go to the bolt in the middle of the pitch; or simply forgo the very top 5.2 pitch. 

2) From the ledge to the anchor 40 ft left of the double rings at the base of the white slab. 150 +/- ft 

3) A short rap ( 100 ft +/-) to newer rings.  100 +/- ft  (? on Dhrama Initiative?)

4) A 2nd short-ish rap to an anchor. 120 +/- ft  (I guess you could combine raps 3 & 4 with double 70m's, maybe with double 60's but then, remember the name of the climb ! )

5) A rap to the anchors at the top of P1 (just right of the small vegetation) 150 ft +/- 

6) If you rap straight down from this anchor, I THINK you'll hit the gully about 40-50 ft above the talus, so we elected to rap diagonally left to the Lost in the Sun (or maybe they were Direct's P1 anchors) double ring anchors.  100 +/- ft

7) Rap to the packs. 160 +/- ft

usual rack, draws for bolts