A great route on great rock- resembles the route Butterfly in many ways. LACKS PROTECTION for long stretches. Pitch 1 (5.6, S) Start up in a chimney-sized groove and after a short distance, step left up and onto the slab, heading left to intercept a line of odd brick-like blocks and puzzle-pieces. These can be climbed for ~70 meters to top out left onto a ramp and a belay. Pitch 2 (5.7, VS) From that belay, move up a good distance to some nice boulders below a double roof. THis will give you more rope for the 71-meter pitch you are about ready to do. The first above is wider and larger, the second is smaller and arch-shaped. Watching for any loose rock (and mind you, with lack of gear) go over the right side of roof #1, then up the center of roof #2. Continue up and left though a very seriously runout water-groove. YOu can bail-out to the right, but we found that you can continue up this perfect rock for 70 meters to join "Baker's Way" just below a ledge just below where it intercepts the Direct East Face. Pitch 3 (5.4) Go a short way up "Baker's Way" and join "Direct East Face" for one long pitch to the summit Ridge of the "North Arete." Pitch 4&5 (5.0) Join the North Arete to the summit in 2 very pitches.
Location
A few hundred feet up and left of the standard east face, and above a massive boulder that has to be circumnavigated to get to the base. Start up into a groove just right of a junky corner.
Protection
You better be ready for runouts. Real ones. The first rope-length of climbing is quite runout in spots. The second is just plain silly for lack of gear. The third takes you up to more normal flatirons climbing...
First Flatiron
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