Astronomical  5.10d PG13

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Type:  Trad, 1 pitch, 220 feet Consensus:  5.10d [details] FA:  Bob Gaines and Frank Bentwood Submitted By:  Bob Gaines on May 27, 2010 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (2) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

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Description 

This route links Zion Train to the upper face of Power Fingers and can be done in one spectacular, super long pitch.

Begin with Zion Train. Instead of moving left to the bolt belay, continue up and right on ledges to a steeper headwall with flakes (2 fixed pins, 10b/c) then face climb past 2 bolts (moving right at the second bolt) to join Power Finger for its last three bolts (5.10-) to the top.

This pitch currently has four fixed pins (re-driven/replaced May 2010). Without the pins it would warrant an R rating. All the old bolts have been replaced.

The rock quality is poor in a few sections, and be forewarned that you'll to be dealing with some loose rock, but the moves are interesting throughout, with good pro at the hard spots.

You can break it up into 2 pitches by moving left and belaying from a ledge on Zion Train, or use slings judicously and go for it in one pitch.(70 meter rope recommended)

Protection 

If you want to trim the rack down to just the essentials, here's a list of what I used in order of placement:

1. Blue Alien
2. # .5 Camalot
3 + 4. (equalized) #0 and #00 Metolious Mastercams
5. Fixed pin
6. Fixed pin
7. #0 Metolious TCU
8. #2 Metolious Mastercam
9. Gold Links Cam (or #2 Camalot)
10. #00 Metolious TCU
11.#1 Metolious TCU
12. #3 Camalot
13. #1 Camalot
14. # .75 Camalot
15. Fixed pin
16. Fixed pin
17. Bolt
18. Bolt
19. Bolt
20. Bolt
21. Bolt
3 bolt anchor

6 slings
1 double length sling
5 long quickdraws
9 regular quickdraws

70 meter rope