Grotto Wall Traverse  5.8

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Type:  Trad, 3 pitches Consensus:  5.8 [details] FA:  A. Carter, H. Carter Submitted By:  Alvaro Arnal on Jun 5, 2012 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (2) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

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Description 

This is a wonderful journey across and up the Lower Grotto Wall. The belay after the 2nd pitch is one of my favorites on the Pass, and the 3rd pitch will have you smiling from beginning to end!

P1: Climb the awkward, often wet, chimney to the slab above and traverse left into the corner. Make a gear belay here. This pitch is forgettable and can easily be skipped by walking around to the right and traversing back left on the slab to the same belay. 5.8.

P2: Climb up the short corner and across the ledge to a sloping dihedral crux (5.8). Be sure to protect your 2nd after completing these crux moves. Traverse hard left and up to a 2-bolt belay on a small ledge.

P3: Walk right across the "diving board" and then up steep but juggy terrain into a right-facing corner. Go above this traverse right and into a left-facing corner to a 2-bolt belay at the top of the cliff. Incredible pitch!

Descent: Your best option is to walk off to the west (climber's left). Two 70 meter ropes will reach the ground as 1 rappel, but because of the overhanging nature of this section of cliff, multiple raps with shorter ropes is not possible.

Location 

From Cryogenics, walk right along the base of the cliff past the smooth shield of rock. The first pitch chimney starts just after the trail turns steeply uphill.

Protection 

Full rack.