The Grack - Center 

This is a great climb in the Valley. Get up early, because this is a heavy traffic area. P2 was the best pitch for me... a nice low angle crack. The last time I climbed this route I ran into two bats chillin' in the crack on the second pitch! Fortunately, they did not bite... There is always word of large rockfall in this area, so climbers beware.

With a 70m rope you can link pitch 2 & 3. Also, rapping with a 70m works fine.

This is a great route! P2 is definitely one of the best easy pitches in the Valley. Get there early to avoid the crowd and the relentless sun.

For a fun variation, start to the right of the left facing corner and do the slab/friction up to the juggy moves over the bulge. P2/3 is beautiful hands/fingers/tips with great feet the whole way.

We did it Sunday 8/30 and we were the only ones on that side of the apron. Could have been because it was 90 degrees and in the morning sun but still cool to have it all to ourselves. Super fun, sustained moderate climb. Highly recommended.

To get up this FAST (reducing risk of rockfall), consider simulclimbing, at least for the first two pitches. The leader can lead the first two pitches without pausing to belay after pitch 1 while the follower simulclimbs on pitch 1. Pitch 1 is easy class 4 until near the top and there is no way the follower is going to fall, so simulclimbing here is as safe as it gets. Once atop pitch 2 the leader can belay the follower at the crux of the climb (a tricky move for 5.6) near the top of pitch 1.

Very fun route, probably would link pitches if ever climbed again. A little bit of loose rock in places. Views were incredible!

This may be the absolute best 5.6 climb ANYWHERE! I've done it 5 times over the years, and if I lived closer to California it would be many time that number. The second lead is the "real deal;" possibly as classic as it gets.

We found the approach described in the book to be unnecessarily crappy. We descended straight down from the Grack and it was super easy and quick. Here's the beta from the parking lot described in the book.

Take the main hiker's trail (found at the NE corner of the parking lot) for a few hundred meters until you pass an A-Frame roofed outbuilding on the right (it will be obvious). Go 30 meters further and turn right (towards the Apron) and hike up towards the climbs. Follow the faint trail as it skirts a bog for a few hundred meters(keep the bog on your left). When the trail hits the steep part of the hill, go up. There is a system of trails coming down from the Grack. This way cuts out a lot of needless up and down scrambling, but may be a little confusing the first time. If nothing else, you can descend from the Grack this way and cut out the return scramble.

This is a great lead for a new tradster, only one tricky move on p1 then p2 goes clean. P3 sounds a little dicey but par with the grade. Two raps down with a 60m.

I'm quite sure you need two 60m double-rope rappels to get off this climb.

Just returned from The Grack. Definite bad beta. You need TWO (2) sixties to rap down Marginal. One 70 does not make it, we tried! And the approach beta really needs updating, read previous comment. Great time! Wear helmets, everyone, a rain of small rocks throughout the day was... disconcerting.

303scott's approach beta is the way to go. Ensure you are getting on the marked hiker's trail from the parking lot. Once up at the rock, keep going left (which will involve a brief downclimb before resuming uphill) until you see the huge scree slope (in other words, where there is essentially no more base traversing remaining) - this will seem like you're going too far, but it's the spot!

Climbed this at 9AM on an April Tuesday and nobody was there at all (if you get out early enough on an offseason weekday, I've found the warnings of crazy crowds are generally overgeneralized). The Apron was wet in spots but not on our line! After a more precipitous winter, it probably would still be wet at this point.

We found the belay spots to be somewhat confusing using a 60m rope. We maxed out our 60m on P1, yet still found ourselves without enough rope to get to a sensible belay spot after P2 (instead, we traversed left and used the slung boulder rappel station for the second belay). Not positive, but I think the climb overall would link up well as a total of 2 pitches with a 70m rope.

We rapped from the top with two 60m to the aforementioned slung boulder rappel, then did another two-rope rap to the ground. I was told by another climber there that the first rap should actually be off right as you finish the climb (obviously, there are a few rap options).

It IS possible to rap this on a single 70; knot your ends as it's a rope stretcher to reach the second station. You'll have to reach just slightly down from near the ends of the rope to clip into the second set of bolts. Four raps from top to bottom on a 70.

If you take the traditional approach up the trail you'll need to continue along the base of wall for about 1/4 mile or so, down a ravine or two, before reaching the climb.