The East Face of North Gateway is closed to climbers every year from around Feb 1 until early August, depending on when the birds fledge. It's not posted out there, but since the closure has been in effect for 20+ years it is incumbent on climbers to know about closures by stopping in at the visitor center and asking. The falcons always nest in a big pothole above the traverse ledge and below the Kissing Camels arch.
BETA PHOTO: My kid painted the route for us. Pitch 2 and 3 sho...
Description
Fun but sandy climbing on marginal pins and spinning quarter inch bolts. This route must go through many changes over the years. We felt like we were cleaning a new route. This does not see too much traffic. A good one to tick once the rest of the Garden is getting played out.
Pitch 1: Climb unzipped to the two eye bolt belay at the base of the headwall. (One could climb Cowboy Boot Crack and then downclimb or lower to these anchors, but it would just add some more time.)
Pitch 2: The bizz. Climb up and right from the belay following old quarter inch bolts with no hangers. A fall here could be fun. Establish below the roof and clip the first pin. Pull the roof on sandy holds (5.10ish) then continue up the line of pins. The crux is the top two clips where the holds run out and the feet have been lost over time. Crux (5.11d??) Belay at a two drilled angle anchor with rap slings.
Pitch 3: Short and spicy. Climb up and right over loose rock to passed two pins to the summit.
Rap from here.
Descent Beta:
Rap off the east side of the spire off two drill angles into tourist gulley. We beef'd up the anchor a bit with two new runners and put a locker on it. The Original is still in place with an old military cable thing and a single piece of shottty webbing. 1 60 meter rope will do the job for this route.
Location
Tweedledumbshire spire. Southwest side of North Gateway.
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