Climbers on Positive Vibrations as seen from the t...
Description
This is a phenomenal climb, really the cream of the crop for granite crack climbing. The setting, the line, the rock quality and the climbing itself are all absolutely superb. Although it's continuously steep and strenuous, the movement is very straightforward and above all, fun. No awkward or unaesthetic sections, just clean finger and hand jamming.
P1: 5.9/10a crack. Still not fully awake at this point. Legs as stiff as tree trunks from the hike in.
P2: 5.10c. This starts in a striking finger crack. This woke us up! Excellent sharp fingerlocks in the cool morning air. Higher, follow features right, then left to a ledge.
P3: 5.11a. Some moderate climbing, then the first crux, a blank traverse right. This is one of two pitches rated 11a and we found it to be the easier of the two. The crux is a little reachy (easier if you're tall) but it's over quick. You do traverse past your gear for a couple moves on thin smears but you can see what you're reaching for- a bomber steep handcrack which takes you to the belay.
P4: 5.10b. Really nice stemming and jamming in a big chimney to a huge ledge. This pitch is easy to spot from the base. From here you move onto the upper arete, which is followed for another 4-5 pitches. A very fun pitch.
P5: 5.9/10a. Already giddy from the fantastic climbing so far, we looked up and realized the best was yet to come. Meander up and left to a deluxe handcrack next to the arete. This takes you to a classic belay ledge right on the arete, at which point you should be pretty much euphoric. We thought this was a standout pitch.
P6: 5.11a. The crux pitch starts in a steep dihedral with tricky thin moves in real smooth rock. It's pretty full-on (5.10c/d), one of the most insecure sections on the route. Climb up to a roof (also 5.10+, also full-on) then up a nice finger crack to a small stance. The crux finger cracks cut up and left across golden, vertical granite to another airy stance on the arete. The moves are technical and exposed and just COOL. Steep thin fingerlocks, great body position... at risk of hyperbole, THIS is a classic pitch!
P7: 5.10c/d. Go up 2-3" cracks for a ways into a right facing corner with a detached block. Below the block, traverse right and crank through a technical, sustained stemming/thin crack section. We split the pitch in two, and this last section still seemed really hard. In any case, it's brilliant climbing, another beautiful pitch.
P8: 5.10b. A handcrack leads to a small ledge on the arete, just below the ridge. You do not need to go all the way to the ledge, but we wound up here and were fine with breaking this pitch in two as well. It's actually a pretty sweet ledge, secure and very airy. Either way, you want to get over to the plum-straight hand crack about 15' right. This takes you right to the summit ridge. The dizzying exposure here is augmented by the incredible geometry of the ridge. We thought this was one of the coolest pitches on the route, and a great finish to the hard climbing.
At this point, you're on the leftmost tip of the sharp ridge which appears from below to be the summit. (It took us 10 pitches to get here, in our pedestrian fashion. The guidebook says 8 which is certainly reasonable.) Now you traverse right for 100-150 yards. We thought the routefinding was slightly weird, actually, perhaps someone has better beta on the "best" way to go here. In any case, you shouldn't be doing anything too difficult or gaining any altitude, and you should be out of sight of the valley below. After a bit, you can see what you're aiming for, the final wall with a blocky crack in it. Climb two moderate pitches (see the Red Dihedral description for info on these pitches, and the descent) and through the weird manhole to the top. Congratulations on a super climb and a great summit!
Location
On the NW end of the Hulk. The first 4 pitches follow right-angling crack systems to a big chimney. The rest of the climb follows the knockout arete above.
To echo El Presidente, a superb route. Almost as good as the Pool Wall. BTW, if you've been to the Hulk summit already and want to skip it on this route, it is possible to rappel. The first rappel begins about 20ft. climber's right of the end of the eighth pitch (per Croft topo). Be forewarned, it is VERY possible to get your ropes stuck on this rappel route (lots of flakes, blocks, etc.). Take that into consideration. About 1-1/2 hr. for descent. Still faster than going to the summit and walking down. We had two ropes; I believe a 70 meter MIGHT do (some guys at the base said an 80 meter was required!), but am unsure as I did not examine the rope remaining after each rappel. The last few rappels hit Positive Vibrations at the top of the 4th pitch. All except the first are bolted, but the slings are poor on a few stations.
Remember your sandals for the delightful swamp approach... Also, watch for drag on the crux pitch as it weaves around a bit. Apres Hulk, go for the chocolate cream pie at the Mono Village Cafe!
By Nick Stayner From: The West Aug 2, 2008 rating: 5.10+
The cruxes (esp. compared to some of the single-pitch stuff of the same grade in the Valley and Tuolumne) are not that bad, especially if you're a strong face climber. Don't let them scare you away because loads of amazing, outstanding, superb 5.10 crack climbing abound. Do it!! A couple of notes:
Rack: We brought some brass and the green, red, and yellow C3s. All were used, and the C3s were really nice on the technical crux as well as a couple of tips sections.
1) With a 70, link the first two pitches (the 9+/10a and the 10c tips). The crux sections are not sustained and it doesn't require any extra gear to do this. Plus you can stop at a fatty pair of rap bolts for the belay this way.
2) A good way to do the second crux pitch: Build a belay after the 10d fingers section at a bolt right where you traverse towards the crux boulder problem. This shortens the crux and allows you to do it without 35 m+ of rope drag behind you.
One of the absolute best climbs you will ever do. The first 11 section is pretty easy unless you're short--many of the 10 sections are much harder. The second 11 is quite a bit more tricky.
One thing to be aware of: the stemming start to P6 is reasonably technical on small wires and questionable cams (a .75 in a flare and a .4 before moving to the roof and the first bomber gear in 30 feet or so; you can protect the belay by placing a .75 in a horizontal before stepping into the stem).
On the walk-out we ran into Jim D. who was headed up to PV and asked for gear beta.
Was nice to find this route has much superior rock to the red dihedral route. Everypitch was really pleasant.
I found the last pitch going to the ridge was not straightforward once you topout on the ridge. The supertopo was not very clear where to go after you hit the top of the ridge. I am curious as to where others go there. The way we went seemed seldom traveled. I have heard some people traverse right instead of straight up on the 8th pitch to reach the ridge before you traverse right (southeast) toward the red dihedral finish.
HEADS UP for anyone using Supertopo on Pos Vibes / Sun Spot... McNamara is usually right on with his beta; however, I would have been better off throwing his ridge beta out the window and just stuck with my nose on this one.
Supertopo says, "... keep to the ridge for the best rock or drop down onto the N (left) side for easier climbing but looser rock.."
I don't advise dropping onto the N side by any means until AFTER you stick to the ridge via a 5th class chimney system that spits you out on a ledge on the N side of the true ridge. Tunneling is required here. Once on the ledge, loose class 2/3 take you along the left side of the ridge until you meet up with the Red Dihedral finish, which leads to the summit.
Once on the summit, head toward the S Ridge and take a left at a prominent cairn. Downclimb 3rd class to the north side of the ridge to the rap anchor. I thought it was more like 90-100' than the 80' rap described in Supertopo.
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