Chinook 

FA:  Bob D'Antonio and Peter Gallager Type:  Trad Consensus:  5.9+ [details] Length:  1 pitch Views: 367 page views Submitted By: Peter Spindloe on Sep 7, 2001 Add Photo  Add Comment

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Mike prepares to fall his way up the finger crack ...

Description 

In the long section or the Sheep's Nose between Ten Years After and the Lost in Space buttress there are a good number of single pitch climbs. Left of Evening Stroll is a giant flake leaning up against the wall. We climbed behind the flake, in the shade, until we got to the top of the flake where we could escape out onto the face via a "window." We set an intermediate belay here so the rope wouldn't be snaking behind the flake and then back out onto the face.

From the "window" move right (carefully since there are no pieces between the leader and the belay at this point) and head up the beautiful arching offset crack. As the angle of the crack changes so it points downward, the angle of the face decreases so you are smearing for the last few moves. It is at the end here where the extra large piece or two will be appreciated.

Although short, the combination of the shadowy flake start, and the high quality crack above make this worth two stars.

Protection 

The initial section (behind the massive flake) will take some hand-size cams. The sustained thin crack portion is well protected with many wires and some small cams although it is strenuous to place or remove them. Save one or two larger pieces (#3 and #3.5 Camalots) for the final section.