Looking down at the second belay from halfway up p...
Description
This is an excellent route straight up the middle of the Solar Slab. It lies to the right of Solar Slab and to the left of Sunflower, but is independent of both lines. The climbing difficulty does not exceed 5.8, but pitch 4 features some old-school slab runouts.
Pitch 1: Directly above the top of the approach gully, there is a black, left-facing corner. Pleasant climbing follows the corner to the belay ledge at the top of the first pitch on Solar Slab.
Pitch 2: Continue up the right-slanting finger crack. Belay at the ledge shared with the second belay on Sunflower. (These first two pitches have been long-used as a variation start to the Sunflower route.)
Pitch 3: Climb up and left to a small pedestal to the left of the Sunflower corner. Traverse left for 10 or 15 feet to a very small, right-facing corner with a thin crack. Follow the crack until it ends, then set up a gear belay in a scoop, using thin cams.
Pitch 4: Climb up the slab above, aiming for the crack visible about a hundred feet straight above. Protection opportunities are limited. Set up the belay as high as possible in the varnished plates (in order to have enough rope for the last pitch).
Pitch 5: The payoff pitch! Proceed straight up the glorious face on relatively easy climbing until you can set up a belay after about 59 meters. At this point you can either join Solar Slab for the 3rd class pitch and cruise to the top, or rappel the main slab.
Protection
Bring lots of finger-size cams and wires. A 60-meter rope allows reasonable belay stances to be reached.
I was able to traverse out right to this route from Solar Slab to climb the pay off pitch and avoid waiting for a party ahead of us. Great climbing, no runout.
Solar Slab - Upper Tier
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