This is a reposting. After the first ascent, we went back and climbed it differently, and it is a much better route now. We started in a different spot, cleaned two large loose flakes, and did a completely new second pitch that is excellent.
Milk Dreams climbs the vague prow in the middle of the "Broken Area" of the upper West Ridge, halfway between the Cirque of Cracks (Hand Crack, Pool of Blood, etc.) and the Parallels area. It's the only good-looking section of rock in this area. Climb a broken crack to the base of the prow (about 15 feet below a large tree), step left into a nasty left-facing corner, place good pro about 15 feet up this corner, and hand-traverse right, onto the prow, on cool horns. If you sling all of your pro to this point, the rope runs straight. The rock and the climbing to this point are rather poor, but both now improve dramatically. Face climb straight up the prow (5.7) with adequate pro (maybe s-minus) to a good belay ledge at about 90 feet.
Pitch 2 climbs straight above the belay along a blocky crack to enter a clean right-facing corner that is longer and harder than it looks! Thin, interesting moves with good pro (5.10a) lead to a sort of alcove. At the top of this, exit left on a hand crack, move up on blocks, and finish on a fun thin-hands crack in a corner. Rappel 200 feet from a tree with a sling. The first pitch is 0 stars, the second pitch is 2 stars, so I guess the route is 1 star.
The original second pitch climbed straight up a thin crack on the prow above the belay ledge (5.9+ s), then was forced into easy cracks and corners on the left before joining the hand crack at the end. Call this the Milquetoast Variation.
West Ridge - Xanadu to Pony Express
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