An alternative to the oft-crowded East Slab. Also completely independent, unlike East of the Sun and East Slab East, so you won't feel like you are encroaching upon those on the East Slab. To the right of East Slab, aim for the black streak.
Start at the upper/easier start to East Slab up easy terrain to a R angling finger crack. Place pro, perhaps Alien(s) too and move up and R. Pay attention to where the foot holds are or you will have to smear. Move up and L into a groove with a bucket. Then up and L up a ramp. Follow a short crack up. Now, you are near the black streak. Move up under the little overlap/roof. Here you can move L (easier) and pop over the overlap with a jug and easy L foot holds or move up and R (harder) up a hand crack and fire over the overlap/roof. Fire to the top. Perhaps, 100 ft overall.
The finger crack is the 5.7 crux of the route, and you do have to smear a bit. The other 5.7 part is the right hand-jam exit, protected with a 2" cam.
A good variation to this route that greatly reduced rope drag is to get to the ramp and continue straight up via a series of right-facing flakes. This way is more sustained 5.6 (with less pro) but gets you directly to the black streak. The (harder) right exit ends with a sloping 3" crack, so don't be surprised. Great naturals for the top anchor, though.
I started the direct start of East Slab, but when I pulled onto the upper slab and saw someone trying to toss topropes down the route, I cut right and followed the right leaning crack to the black streak and pulled the easy jug roof. This was 5.6 for the East Slab direct start and felt no harder than 5.5 for the rest.
I did something similar to Scott, and it made for a pleasant outing. I started a bit right of the crux start to East Slab and went through the crux slot for East Slab East. I then veered right and followed the good looking right-leaning crack to the black streak and an easy roof. It made for a most enjoyable pitch. The bonus was that I avoided waiting for the family of five that was top-roping the East Slab while still getting in quality climbing.
The Dome
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