BETA PHOTO: Early Bird follows the obvious crack/layback and o...
Description
This awesome route starts out of a cave in an arching thin hands to hands crack. At the end of this crack step left onto a sloping ledge and belay. The second pitch either goes straight up to a short overhanging crack or, better yet, step to the right and climb beautiful gray varnished face protected by stoppers up to the steep crack.
If I remember correctly there was a bit of a race to do the FA of this climb. I think Kevin Powell had his eye on it but Charles and Kelley got there first and bagged the coveted FA. Hence, the Early Bird got the Worm!
A shady blessing on a hot day, reveled in the chilled air under the detached pillar! Thought the layback at the start was the hardest bit, although marked 5.8 in guide. Did it in one pitch, long runners required, quite fun that way.Downclimb was kinda long, must have missed the good one.
Sorry, if done in 1 pitch a 55m or 60m rope would be helpful. Also, long downclimb meaning it took 10 or 15 minutes, not that it was challenging.
By Mike Morley Administrator From: Oakland, CA Oct 23, 2003
Great route! As mentioned, can easily be done as a single pitch as far as length goes, but rope drag can be heinous. Alternate descent: rap off of fixed webbing knot (yikes!) which I replaced 10/11/03.
A fun route, easily done in a single pitch. The Rap slings at the top of the route looked dicey (and two ropes needed -- 145 foot rap). Down climb (up to summit, then down gully to the west) is a bit involved, but easy enough.
Maybe my expectations were high given all the praise for this route. Though it seemed good, not a mega classic. Maybe I'm jaded.
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