keystoned  5.5 X

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Type:  Trad, 6 pitches, 700 feet, Grade III Consensus:  5.5 [details] FA:  Bradley White, 1984 New Route:  Yes Submitted By:  bradley white on Jul 2, 2009 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (1) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

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Description 

This is a on sight free solo description. Somewhere high up above the left central slabs I located trees that had an exposed inclining ramp. Ramp ended at a step over the void onto the vertical+ cracked north face. Wedged at the base of it was a large block that would easily pendulum when pushed by my right foot. To no prevail the trundle of this rock didn't happen onto the slabs. The keystone remained. Fearful place, the hoist across upward, makes it one way. Can't stop, its easier than it looks but not what I had meant for me to do. I wanted mellow and got myself into a hell of a mess. Moderately up the cracks over and secure from being trapped above the slabs was a short lived experience. At great risk now, in no where's land. I must have wanted to do such a climb. Why? This one, hundreds of feet (5-5) slabs of trenches and friction climbed. The north wall's holds, were a direct fracture line up to have to keep my shit together. Nowhere goes up on small live twigs of the only available slab wall with foot features of eroded rock edging. Solid enough and after a while, easier climbing near larger plants and trees. Onto the beautiful, thankfully, anticlimactic dome finish. Exhilarated from being far away from the twigs, the dome was a playground of solid hand jamming cracks. The dome begins with steep rock. The length of this climb is the upper half of the climb. Together its around 1200 ft. and that seems ridiculously long. I highly recommend this climb for the epic minded climber. I'd bring some iron for the twig cracks. I would like to repeat it with a rope (if I can find it). There lots lots of alpine rock to have at it after the slabs with high exposure.

Location 

Park at Willey House head up to central slab base right side and make your way to it's easier left side. I remained on that side going up until it terminated into the forest. From forest ramp to a north wall of a buttress's outcropping (not to be confused with the four buttresses east of this outcropping). After the climb is the trail. I hiked left to the Crawford House and to the car, three miles.

Protection 

none on the slabs, there were protective features to most of the mountain climbing afterward.