Just west and south of the Red Wall on 'Ginseng Pillar' in the Amphitheater area. Gain an upward (to the left) sloping flake and heel hook your way across it (probably 5.8, cams or hexes), and pull onto a large ledge. From the ledge, stretch up to clip a bolt. Pull over a bulge crusted with green lichen (crux), do a move or two and arrive on top. A fairly short and somewhat contrived route, but a fun journey nonetheless. Bring something to sling a boulder with, or use the rope. Rap from Red Wall or downclimb the easy, obvious chimney.
This is also a pleasant little toprope route, and easy to set up with a long sling and some large stoppers to back it up. While the route is basiaclly a one move wonder, you can have fun with some more difficult variations at the bottom. Tossing a toprope on this and the Red Wall makes a nice morning of moderately difficult climbing. The crux is a bit more tricky and awkward than the Red Wall, but it's less pumpy and sustained.
-Joe
By Tony Bubb From: Boulder, CO Nov 5, 2004 rating: 5.10a
Fun, but a little loose. Good judgement for pro is required to lead this safely.
I would describe the route as such:The Ginseng Pillar has 2 lines that have bolts, on the left is Siberian North Face, on the Right is Now and Zen. Both are overgraded as published and are more like 5.10a.
Siberian North Face climbs a left-leaning flake from just right of the NW arete of the Ginsing Pillar, protecting behind the flke with mostly hand-to-fist-sized cams.A few of these will be horizontal or up-side-down. The climbing is mostly solid and fun, but watch for loose spots in the crack and protect accoringly. Once on top oof the flake, get good hold and make a move or two to reach and clip a single bolt & continue to the summit.
The Amphitheater
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