Shane trying to hold it together on the crux of th...
Description
From the Inner Sanctum Passage, the Steeple is the second formation uphill. The route is the left of two routes on the formation, and follows a blunt arete on the left side. This was a good route with some of everything, and fairly sustained.
Protection
11 draws plus 2 for the anchors. 1 60m rope or 2 ropes.
By Steve Marr From: North Pole/Fairbanks, AK Jun 5, 2002
Excellent route up a good spire, with more fantastic views from the top. Be careful when rapping with a single 60m rope - the ballayer will probably have to move up on the lower angle rock around the base of the climb.
If you liked this line, step 2 lines left up onto a block and do another great 8. It has 3-4 bolts of thinnish face then hits a nice, juggy overhang. Actual handholds give you a break from crimping for the next 3-4 bolts. Fun--only about 50-60 ft, though.
Sweet route for warming up on. The first three quaters of the route is really good feet and hands, but towards the top it can get a little sketchy if your tierd. You have to wear shoes that don't make your feet hurt because your feet hurt after the climb no matter what your wearing on your feet.
This is a good route. It's LONG though. Rapping off used almost all of our 60M rope. I felt it to be the same climbing almost the whole way up. I kept thinking to myself "Am I there yet?" and "Didn't I just do this move?"
I found the only variety to be where the moves changed from the 5.7 and under to the little crux section near the top, as that seemed to be pretty noticeable.
A brisk wind adds to the pucker factor high on this one. Climbing was reasonable, but it really made me not want to fall up high. Nice long slab climbing.
I thought this route was great. This was my first visit to the area, so I was a little nervous about the climbing at the start of the day, but I quickly figured it out. The routes just got better as the day went along. The Steeple, I felt was 3 star pebble pinching. Once you get over the possibility that the pebble your holding or standing could break and send you on that cheese grater fall you always fear, and just enjoy where your at and what your doing. The whole experience is amazing.
A decent 5.8 route though I wouldn't recommend a beginner lead this one - it's exposed, can be windy, and the bolts are spaced far enough that a lead fall would be very painful on the sharp crystalline rock.