Midway up the 2nd pitch, just right of the large r...
Description
From the base of Turret dome, .25 miles west of the picnic area, head along the river and then scramble up to the base of this climb about another .25 miles. It starts in a slight ravine with a large fallen tree on the rocks southwest face well west of Schooldaze's giant arch formation. On its right are four unnamed sport routes (5.8ish) that are fun if you are waiting for the route to clear.
Pitch 1: Climbs a 5.6 hand and finger crack past several rock horns up and over a slight lip protected by a single pin. From there it follows the multi-cracked corner up to a good belay ledge directly under the climbs overhang.
Pitch 2: Climbs up from the belay stance to under the overhang and then steps right onto bathtubs. The next belay is a short climb up the tubs to a three pin anchor in the rock over the overhang on the left side of the tubs.
Pitch 3: Climb right from the belay stance over the tubs to an almost flat boudler. Climb over the corner to the right of the rock which is protected by a single pin. From there it is a zigzag path up to the summit over 5.5-5.6 rock and flakes. Rope drag at the top is a lot less if you sling every piece you place.
Downclimb to the left off the summit down 5.4 rock. When you get down the rock to pine forest go down and right over loose ground to get to the picnic area.
Protection
A standard rack with 2-3 extra 24" slings for the horns on the first pitch and to releive rope drag on the last pitch. This route also eats up large hexes.
I've seen the top pitch actually broken up into 2 short pitches to alleviate rope drag. In this method, pitch 3 goes slightly right across the slab/tubs above the belay stance of pitch 2 and belays at the base of the large summit boulders. Pitch 4 then picks a line up the 5.5-5.6 chimney country through the boulders to the summit. Each of these pitches winds up only being 40-50 feet, but not having your rope zig-zagging around the boulders is worth it.
For the beginner leader, the insecure slab on the second pitch is probably the cruxiest part. Seems to make more sense to pass the three pin anchor and belay higher up to avoid rope drag. The climbing up higher is wandery but mellow, just be careful if you encounter the large pink hollow flake, it seems very hollow. The obvious belay at the top of p.1 takes #2-3 Camalots, but you will have no use for these on p.2.
Walk off near a lone pine tree on your left, some wander below a steep block and follow slabs to a saddle, others go further left and walk down in the woods.
If you're swinging leads, make sure you get the first one, as it's the most quality climbing the route has to offer. More than crack climbing, this is a pitch with face holds that follows a crack. The rest, as recounted above, is all wandering and ropedrag after the crescent flake and bathtubs. One star.
Did this route today. Lots of fun. After the 3 pin anchor, we continued straight up into a roof and crack system. It was an awesome varation and protected very nicely (there was a fixed cam in the crack). Does anyone know was this varation goes at or if it was part of another route? My guess would be around 5.8-9.
Turret Dome
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