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BETA PHOTO: Looking up at the first pitch, which passes to the...
Description
One of the Classic climbs of the Organ Mts. It takes an obvious weakness up the cliff with mostly good rock, and comfortable belays. The last pitch tackles a headwall with beautiful exposure and clean granite.
Pitch 1: climb the corner under a large roof. Pass an old 1/4" bolt to a ledge just below the roof where another old 1/4" bolt is found. Belay from here, or continue up around the right side of the roof and belay at another large ledge with a tree.
Pitch 2: Continue up the corner/crack system for about 100 ft. At this point make an escape to large ledge (grassy in the right season) will be seen off to the right. This is the path of least resistance. If you keep going up the corner, you will run into some harder, and les sprotectable ground, and miss the good belay ledge.
Pitch 3: Climb up or around a short slab to a small overlap with a weakness in it. There is a fixxed nut and piton at the weakness. After cranking over this, continue up to a comforatble belay ledge aboce.
Pitch 4: the dirtiest pitch. Continue up the corner system for 50 ft, where there is a chimney like move to gain a slab ampitheather above. Once on the open slab, pick from the many nice belay stances.
Pitch 5: Very short. Head up the slab to the headwall and traverse to the right side. Turning around the corner here is an exposed move and quite exhilierating. A hanging belay is found directly around the corner (out of sight from your belayer).
Pitch 6: from the hanging belay a piton can be seen where 3 small rooflets break the headwall. climb towards these. This is the crux pitch, with great exposure and very clean, almost featureless rock. 2 pitons protect the first two rooflets, afterwhich ample gear placements can be found. A good reach and a cool head will help surmounting these.
Above the rooflets, run out the rope to the top of the ridge.
Location
The route is identifiable from the approach as a large corner system which leans slightly to the right, and ascends to the half-way point of the face. An excellent topo and route description was written by Charlie Cundiff and is available at the NMSU climbing wall. See Gertch for descent description.
FA by Paul Wohlt and Dick Ingraham. They rated it 5.7 but 5.8 is probably a more fair rating. Harder and straighter variation pitches below the top overhangs have been climbed.
Gertch
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