BETA PHOTO: From the Tucker / Steele guidebook, route. 169= C...
Description
Scramble up the 4th class ramp to the right of the huge cave at the base of the crag to a 2nd smaller cave directly above. Traverse 20 feet left to a rock horn above bushes and rope up here. The route links 2 more caves en route to the last pitch of the South Face route.
Per the Tucker/Steele guidebook, after roping up: "Face climb up and to the right of the horn. Proceed directly up to a narrow ledge which is followed out to the right. Protection here is poor. Approximately 20 feet right of a pocket, head up above a ledge into the 3rd cave. [belay here] From the 3rd cave, traverse left and up, around a large block. Easy climbing leads up a ramp to the right into the fourth and last cave. Traverse right about 20 feet. Climb up past a bulge by way of a small manzanita bush in a crack. Above this, follow easy cracks and slabs to the summit."
I climbed this route recently and found that it was mostly 4th class scrambling, with no more than four or five easy fifth class moves. The highlight of this route is seeing all these caves up on the rock...... kinda cool. By the way..... the approach sucks.
Do you prefer bushwhacking over climbing? Crumbly sandstone flakes and slick water stains? Yucca puncture wounds interrupted by short class 4 moves and one moderately run out and unprotected traverse? This route is for you!
There's one fun (extremely short) section of actual climbing under a big overhanging block and up a crack off the second belay. At this point you get your hopes up for some more moves, but then it's back into some more brush and then a sidewalk up to the third belay.
You do get that last short South Face pitch which is fun, though.
In a nutshell, this is what you'll hear on this route:
"Damn, there goes another hold---ROCK!" "Ouch, damn yucca!" "ROCK!" "Ouch! Ouch!" "This can't be the route!" "Ouch! Ouch!" "Rock!"
If you think the approach sucks, try this route...
Cathedral Peak
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