An awesome crack route that is generally well-protected. Very memorable views and climbing. 3rd class up (about 150') to the base of the most obvious cracks on the NW Face and build a belay. p1- Climb a great crack to a 5.9 overlap. Pull the overlap. Book says to stop here. We continued through the next great 5.8 crack section and stopped on a roomy ledge. Right at the end of the 60m, but we could've third-classed in higher from the ground. 5.9, 200'. p2- Climb great 5.8 fingers to a .10a hands section. The book says to belay here at a small ledge. W/ a 60, it's easy to gun it through the .10c thin crack to a good ledge. Belay here where the crack peters out. Have some smaller nuts to back up the piton with. 5.10c, 170'. p3- Work up to the top of the flake off the belay ledge and piece together a route through the face to the crack above and right. 5.9, 50'. NOTE- w/ a 70, you might be able to link pitches two and three in a marathon pitch.
Location
Walk off the back side down the obvious low-angle route.
Protection
I took doubles from the .1 camalot to a #2 camalot, with a single three.
To echo everyone else...this thing was WAY easy for the grade, especially compared to something like Lunatic Fringe in the Valley (another 10c thin crack).
Actually it can be linked in two pitches with a 60m also. You are holding all the remaining slack in your hand when the leader finishes, so be careful if you have a shortened rope or expect to simul a couple feet.
Pitch one: After scrambling up to where the face steepens, build a belay. Lead up past the roof to the highest ledge with some shrubby trees on it, below the 5.8 fingers. Pitch two: Do the rest of the route and stop at a ledge just below where the angle of the face kicks way back. Scramble to the top from here.
Lembert Dome-Northwest Face
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