Castle Keep  5.6 R

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Type:  Trad, Alpine, 3 pitches, 400 feet, Grade III Consensus:  5.6 [details] FA:  Teresa Nagle and Bradley White, summer 2010 New Route:  Yes Submitted By:  bradley white on Aug 8, 2010 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (1) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

Teresa leading the start in sneakers.

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Description 

I scrambled right up the slab half way and the into the trees. Teresa stayed in the center and finished the slab 100ft (the slab has some steep bulging sections too, that would require bolting). At the top of the slab we traversed right away from the trees onto a decent belay stance. Above our stance, Teresa led up a flaring outcrop of rock and onto face climbing until the next tree ledge was reach (90ft). From this tree ledge move up the face until the right facing ramp is reached. Exit ramp onto ledge and traverse north until decent belay is reached (110ft). Climb up into the left facing ramp and move right and up to top off in sandy rocky sloping surface. Climb this until tree belay is reached (90ft).
To create the four star route do the first pitch of 'The Red Queen' and on the second pitch head diagonally north to reach the first belay ledge stance of 'Castle Keep'. Doing the climb this way will be on solid fine granite rock except for the last pitch ending that is conway granite with some wedged and loose rocks on it, that aren't a bother.

Location 

Head up the northern side of the widest middle talus field.

Protection 

TCU's are very helpful. #2-2.5 friend. Some small to medium stoppers, A couple of lost arrow and blade pitons.

Photos of Castle Keep Slideshow

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BETA PHOTO: Castle Keep is the white rock ridge going diagonal...	Teresa liked the second pitch.	Overhang above right to us.
Teresa starting the last pitch.	The last pitch ramp. The rock in the crack is loos...	Right of the ramp and above the overhang.
The granite block exit section of a recent rock sl...	Finding our way down by heading north.	Northern terrain.
Some sunny day.	Not exactly what I wanted to down climb this long ...	The north rockslide buttress and the wet rock is p...
Lower down on the north rockslide buttress.	halfway to the trail.	BETA PHOTO: Red Queen can go to Castle Keep. This connection c...