This route is recommended only to those Flatiron Slab Mongers who want to or have to bag all the climbs on the First or worse yet are committed to doing all the easy climbs on the Flatirons (you know who you are...).
The rock is very polished, the route is not easy to protect and there is a good amount of loose rock.
This route follows the Northernmost Gully on the East Face of the First. It starts about 100+ feet to the right and up from the start of the Standard East Face route and shares the start and first pitch of the East Face North Side route.
From the trail on the north of the face, find a large flake that allows an easy traverse East and proceed straight up the face finding the path of least resistance. There is an old piton in the first pitch.
At this piton, the routes separate. Traverse left finding the easiest way into the gully and head up the gully finding the path of least resistance (i.e. with more friction...) Roach mentiones staying right initially until you reach some ledges where the gully widens and then moving left. This was not that obvious to us.
Less obvious to us, was the exit of the gully. About a pitch from the top of the gully look left under some small trees for a licheny ramp at a weakness on the left wall, this is the exit onto the East face. Some 25 feet above this is a easier looking exit. This exit is indeed easier but getting to it involves a poorly protected 5.6 friction traverse... Pick you poison.
Once out of the gully traverse left until you reach the Junction Knob and join the North Arete.
I climbed this las fall. The first pitch that is shared with the NE face is fun and well-protected. I actually found two bolts (one pretty old and one newer) spaced about fifteen feet apart. After the bolts I headed left and gained a crack system that took me to the gully. Once in the gully there is a big tree on the right which is the best pro/belay available in the entire gully. From the tree I climbed up and left all the way to the top. I headed left in hopes of placing pro, but the best I could do was one small stopper the entire pitch. Needless to say the climb is extremely run out. Also, I agree with the bomb rating b/c the moves, once in the gully, are not all that great. The rock lacks solid features and is quite polished in spots.
By Jason Kaplan From: Evergreen Co Jul 1, 2006 rating: 5.4 R
I liked this route, then again I was soloing. My solo partner and I really liked the rock and moves they were fun the whole way and pretty easy (the rock had quite a few jugs and slopey crimps, although like mentioned before it can be polished which I thought was neat). Maybe 1 or 2 moves that felt harder then the 5.2 to the right. I really liked being confined to the gully. We started in the same spot for the east face 5.2 but didn't follow the first pitch with the bolts (I have seen those now 2 or 3 times). I recommend this to anyone who likes to do the 5.2 east face (especially as a solo).
I did this route yesterday. We started 100 - 150 ft. right of the East Face. I stayed to the left of the obviously water-polished area for the first 2-3 pitches, and found enough good gear (3-4 decent pieces per pitch). I quite enjoyed this route, and found the belays to be consistently good / shady. Traversing left out of the gully was a bit odd b/c I couldn't see the best spot to 'get out' until I was a bit too high up. The corner that is furthest left is the one to aim for, and if you go too high, it's a bit trickier to protect. Overall, 3/5 stars.
So far I have climbed this route three times - Each time proceeding a different way up the gully. I am not sure that the route's description gives it enough credit. I have been able to consistently place enough protection on each of the pitches...The belays are good and there are several trees, ledges and adequate placements to construct safe anchors. The best way to access the ridge is at the top of the gully where the ground meets. Great moves from a solid belay (2 trees) allow you to access the ridge and make the summit - or just walk off the back for 4 fun pitches.
I soloed this yesterday (2-28-09) and thought it was fun. If you follow the northern side of the gully there are tons of holds and laybacks. I never once felt threatened until I slipped on a pile of pine needles under one of the trees near the top, but it turned out alright. There may be one or two spots of 5.3 but overall I'd call it 5.2 at best, I did it in approach shoes. If you follow the gully proper to the top you are literally eight feet above the descent trail off the back, I'm not sure how you could possibly get lost or have an issue getting down.
Yeah, I didn't take the ridge to the top, I jumped off the back and hiked down and back around to gap between the first and second. From there I found the SW arete route, went up it and downclimbed it, so now I know how to get off the top without a rope, very useful bit of info to have if you're gonna solo to the rap station.
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