This route has access issues. Please read the note available on the Lumpy Ridge page.
Gary Cale seconding the first pitch.
Description
Hike way up beyond Eumenides dihedral until nearly at the end of Sundance.
1. Start directly under the far left end of a large, long roof that is about 100 feet off the ground. Climb up and slightly right, back left to a bush and up right again to a belay ledge directly underneath the left end of the large roof -- 5.5.
2. Go straight left to a shallow right facing dihedral. Follow the dihedral as it becomes larger up perfect 5.5 rock to a huge ledge.
3. Climb up into a short, right-facing dihedral that peters out below an obvious flake/overhang (only about 60 ft above the ledge) that shoots far across the face to left. Don't go to the top of the dihedral but traverse left on an easy ledge that leads to a shallow flared crack that approaches the flake/overhang. The flake/overhang offers a good crack for protection but don't follow it directly. Instead piece together small ledges and sections of friction below that allow you to approach the crack occasionally to plug in pro. Belay on a good ledge in an area of dark rock. Long pitch, a bit runout, 5.6.
4. Continue traversing up and left to a large ledge with a big obvious pine tree. 5.5. From here, you can follow a huge crack/dihedral system directly above the ledge -- 5.easy -- this is a route called Last Gasp, however a MUCH BETTER way is as follows.
5. Climb a short, left-facing dihedral, traverse up and right on runout face to a small ledge (pro here) then traverse straight right to a shallow, left-facing dihedral. (Fixed pin hidden from below). Follow the dihedral for 30 easy feet to a sloping ledge and go right 10 feet to a good belay nook. Great 5.7.
6. Climb back left to the dihedral which is now larger and has changed directions to right facing. Follow the obvious crack for 50-60 feet to an obvious roof. Turn the roof with huge jugs on the left wall -- spectacular 5.7, and continue on easy ground to the summit.
To descend, climb up and over the summit of a huge rock to the west and down a long, tree-filled, loose gully visible from most of the route. When the gully branches at a small pinnacle, be sure and go to the right (skier's right).
Protection
Standard rack from small stoppers to #3.5 Camalot.
I have done this route several times and it is always fun. We have started pitch 1 just beyond the large roof. Maybe 10 feet left of end of the roof/black cavity is a small roof/step with a crack in it. The roof is maybe 10 feet off the ground. Climb this until the crack fades. Head left up easy rock towards another roof. After maybe 20 feet head right than up into the roof. Turn the roof using a great finger crack. Go up easy rock and belay. This pitch feels like easy 5.7. I also have done pitch 5 slightly different. I once went right from the top of the pillar as indicated by the Rossiter topo and I could never piece together what looked like a reasonable route. Maybe I was already to high? Also, I have never belayed at the pine tree. Usually I set the belay at the base of the small pillar/LF dihedral (you will climb this as part of pitch 5) on a good ledge. Climb the LF dihedral to the top of the pillar. Set pro. There is good protection here, and this is the last pro for a while. Head up and left. I remember up 10 feet or so than a left trending climb until you find a sea of knobs. Climb straight up these for 10 feet or so than head right on good knobs into the dihedral. If all goes well you will be at a fixed pin. I had to girth hitch the pin as I could not work a biner through it. I seem to remember 30 or so feet of climbing with little pro; however it is mostly 5.5, with a bit of 5.6. Also, a good alternative to the pitch 3 and 4 is to head left (climber's left) on Limber Pine Ledge to Last Gasp. This is a hike. So take the rope off until you get over to Last Gasp area. Climb shallow cracks and flakes right of the Last Gasp dihedral. This will get you to top of pitch 4 on Cajun Capers. The cracks are mostly 5.6 with a couple of sections of easy 5.7.
For the descent take doubles or twin ropes. With two ropes you can make two raps back to Limber Pine Ledge than hike down to the base. Without two ropes, it is a long hike to the west saddle and back to your pack. It also would be a long way to go if you headed to the east saddle. Hope this is helpful.
Hit this on 4.26.03. Fun route, didn't really find much 5.7 on it. A couple notes:
On 4.26 there was still a lot of snow at the base of the climb, we had to start up the 'black water streak gully' a ways to stay dry.
With a 70m rope P1 and P2 can be combined (barely), beware of rope drag.
The large pine on ledge (top of P4 as described) had one sling and one biner on it. If you plan on rapping from this position bring backup gear.
From this point we went straight up (the 'Last Gasp' variation?). Although the climbing wasn't hard, I wouldn't describe it as '5.easy'. There were very easy sections but a top dihedral seemed 5.6ish (but was wet). I tried to combine both pitches but ran short of rope with about 40' of technical climbing left.
I didn't think routefinding was too much of an issue.
It was my first time on the rock, finding the West descent route was intuitive and quicker than I thought based upon this site's comments.
I agree agree with the above mentioned option of side-stepping pitches 3 and 4 for the traverse to Last Gasp. The first two Cajun pitches are especially fine and the first two of LG are phffff. Plus, the S rating on Cajun Capers is well deserved, I think it's downright scary, unless you're a solid 5.9-5.10 leader. The remaining pitches of LG are very good, not a hike, but enough 5.6 to keep it interesting and without the protection problems.
Sundance Buttress
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