The redpoint crux for me was locking off way low a...
Description
This is the only route in David Bloom's Sedona guidebook to get four stars, and it is worthy. The climb is unlike most of the other choss in Sedona and offers Zion-quality crack climbing that is very, very good. Well worth the laborious approach. Shangri-La takes a corner system that starts out right-facing and ends up left facing on a Rostrum-like pillar of rock at the terminus of Lost Canyon.
P1: Begin up low angle rock and then head up the obvious, varnished tips crack. Some wild, committing moves up the arete make this pitch an unforgettable warm-up. I was glad to have 6 blue Alien-sized pieces, but I'm a scaredy-cat. Finish at a bolted anchor. 5.12a, 50'.
P2: Climb past two bolts to a ledge below an obtuse corner formed by a sharp flake. This pitch is a powerful lieback that only lets up slightly just before arriving at a bolted anchor. Stopping to place gear is desperate and painful. A somewhat uncomfortable belay. 5.11d, 60'.
P3: Climb up off the belay via a flake and a 0.5 Camalot placement. Here, clip the first of 8 bolts, and head up a very cool incipient crack system that requires laybacks and interesting gymnastic moves. The crux is in the first half -- getting to a series of three providential jugs, but the upper section is no gimmie... unless you're flexible! Wild climbing and an improbable sequence up high. On this final stretch the bolts can be supplemented with a 0.75 Camalot and a 0.3 Camalot (green Alien). End at a bolted anchor. 5.12+, 80'.
P4: This next pitch is a bit easier - a long lieback corner with great stemming rests to a bolted anchor. 5.11b, 90'.
P5: Continue liebacking up the corner, past a wide section, and on to a stance before a very steep wide-hands crack that guards the summit. A great, burly finish to a classic route. 5.11, 70'.
Descent: Rap the route with one rope. The anchor above pitch one can be skipped on rappel.
Protection
This is what I brought:
6 ea. blue Aliens (only useful for the first pitch) 3 ea. green Aliens/0.3 Camalots 3 ea. yellow Aliens/0.4 Camalots 5 ea. red Aliens/0.5 Camalots 1 ea. 0.75, #1, #2 Camalots 2 ea. #3 Camalots (only useful for the last pitch) 8 draws and a couple slings. 60m rope
The hardware on this route leaves something to be desired: All the bolts are modern, but many are very poorly drilled (several are drilled upwards at such an angle that the hangers don't even sit flush with the rock). This includes the anchors. This is kinda a shame for Sedona's best. One small service could be to bring a bolt kit and remove the old cold shuts from the top of P3 and install a proper (Fixe?) rap anchor. If placed on the opposite side of the slot (from the current anchor), one could stand with their feet on a ledge and the ropes would pull more cleanly. On the anchor above P2, a second bolt with chain placed above one of the existing bolts, and a quicklink with lowering ring on the lower bolt, would eliminate the "death triangle" setup and all the tat hanging from that anchor. We removed the tat and added chains to the bolts atop P4.
This is likely the finest route I've done during my time in Northern Arizona. I've done better individual pitches, but no route rivals this.
Pitches 1 & 2 are combined easily as are pitches 4 & 5. This makes a lot of sense and essentially makes it into a 3-pitch route.
I brought gear for the crux 3rd pitch but didn't find it necessary to supplement the bolts. Still it's there if you need it. A couple varied pieces would suffice.
For the finish. If you are used to Indian Creek widehands, then a single #3 Camelot should suffice. There was a split second where I was wanting a #4 Camelot for a wide section of the last pitch, but the moves were east and secure. I'm glad I didn't lug it up there.
Okay, I went back out again and I now have to take back the first line of my previous comment about there being better pitches in Northern AZ. Today I combined the first 3-pitches into 1 megapitch. It was possible and downright reasonable with multiple rests and intelligent use of runners. Combining these three pitches was downright awesome! I highly recommend it. Does the linkup push the pitch over into the 5.13 grade? Well, probably not with all the great rests available. It does however make a classic route even better if that's at all possible.
yeah, I was laughing the whole way you were doing it Mike since you were taking a perfectly good 3/5 pitch multipitch and made it into a 2 pitch sports route.
Just a note: when Mike linked the first 3 pitches we used a 70m rope (9.1mm) and when he got to the 3rd belay there was maybe 20-25ft of rope left (measured 4 lengths of my armspan)60m rope you will have to belay from the top of the pedestal at the base, and possibly may need to simulcclimb maybe 5ft.
The direct start to the first pitch has been led. It takes 5-6 blue alien/.2 camalots through the business. Sustained crimpy laybacking, difficult to place but totally solid gear. I think it is better than the original, though definitely harder.
I'll be taking you up on your suggestion of changing out the bolts on the top of pitch 3. I've got one Fixe with a stainless steel snapshut and have a second one on order, and hope to have it changed out by the end of November/early december of 2009. I'll also be replacing the tat on thee top of pitch 5 (summit) with chains and quicklinks which I already have
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