Bert's climb  5.7

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Type:  Trad, 5 pitches, 600 feet, Grade III Consensus:  5.7 [details] FA:  Bert Jensen and companions, 1937 New Route:  Yes Submitted By:  bradley white on Jul 23, 2009 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (1) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

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Description 

Climb out and up east from the start of Beak Buttress utilizing horizontal narrow ledges to gain height until you can exit east onto a large sloping platform with left facing corner for belay. From the corner move left and up over bulge to reach short head wall climb break in head wall up to another sloping belay ledge surrounded by bushes. Climb straight up into tree ramp. Incidentally, here they put in a variation to return to the Beak Buttress by moving up and left. Follow dirt and tree ramp until out of rope. Belay at the nearest tree. Mantle up at this tree (5-7) onto narrow balance beam traverse (run out) above remainder of dirt and tree ramp and where this narrow traverse ends climb upside down corner by a crack under it's ceiling moving left and out directly (5-7) to another crack in the face (5-7) that is lay backed to a large pine tree (the tree ramp can be followed until it ends at a large oak tree instead of the crack under the ceiling corner climbed. Climb the tree and exit it onto the slab roof above the ceiling and friction up the slab (5-6) to get to a pine tree, then go up crack). After crack move right after another large pine tree to belay at beginning of long upward sloping arch.

Climb the arch until it ends and escape left up crack for thirty ft. (sustained 5-6) until it ends and move left to a ledge with trees for the belay (use long slings under the arch and at the end of the crack) to prevent severe rope drag on this finishing traverse after the the crack. Climb ledges past trees until there is an escape corner facing right or east go up this corner to the summit.

I rope soled this route over two days of climbing. This had to be a wild trip for 1937. The climb is long and committing and with a very difficult retreat after the second pitch.

Location 

Start at the beginning of the Beak Buttress, Start up corner until you can move east or right and then upwards to the a large platform ledge. Walk off climb down the east side.

Protection 

modern trad gear. First pitch still has some vintage pins on it but they're hard to see.