At the 5.7 crux on the last pitch of Yellow Ridge....
Description
Perhaps the best 5.7 in the Gunks.
This climb is just a few minutes from the road - you'll pass Disneyland and a number of corners. Immediately after is the huge roof of Fat Stick. The route is easily recognized by the offwidth crack about 15' off the deck.
P1: There are two ways to start. On the right is a left-facing corner leading up to a small roof - you traverse left under the roof to the offwidth crack (about 5.6). A more direct start traverses on thin holds (no protection) to the rib below the offwidth crack and then up. This is 5.7 and scary but a good spot will keep you safe. In either case, attack the offwidth above. At a horizontal you can either traverse right out of the crack and climb the face or be like Fritz and power up the offwidth. Both of these are about 5.7. Most people choose the face.
Continue to a good ledge just above the offwidth (optional belay). Climb a corner to a roof about 20' above the good ledge. Instead of pulling through the roof, traverse up and left about 50' to a another good ledge. 5.7, 120'.
P2: Traverse to the left edge of the ledge and climb up just right of the obvious ridge for about 10'. Traverse left to the arete passing a pin. Follow this up past another old pin to a roof (fortunately much easier than it looks!) and then on to the top. 5.7, 80'.
By Ron Olsen Administrator From: Boulder, CO Feb 23, 2006 rating: 5.7
A great climb. I recommend the right-hand start (up a left-facing corner, traverse left under a roof) to get to the offwidth crack. I used two #2 Camalots on this pitch: one in the initial corner, and one in a horizontal crack above the fixed pin in the offwidth. I also used a #3.5 Camalot (same as a #4 C4 Camalot) at the base of the offwidth to protect the moves up to the fixed pin.
Face climbing right of the offwidth is probably a little easier than climbing directly up the crack.
You can shorten the first pitch and belay on the first good ledge after the offwidth. This will let you communicate with and watch your second as they climb the offwidth. A 5.4 second pitch goes up a corner and left to a ledge. From here, finish with the last pitch as described above.
By Taino From: South Salem, NY Dec 27, 2006 rating: 5.7
HIGHLY recommend doing the "optional" belay at the top of the offwidth; otherwise, the rope drag is only slightly less than paralyzing.
Also disagree with the opinion above that the right-hand start (to the right of the arete, up the left-facing dihedral, move right to left under roof to arete) is "5.6". It's harder than any of the other starts listed in the various Williams' guides - but it has gear.
Agree that the right hand start is a bit harder than 5.6, but I don't think it was harder than 5.7. It gears well regardless.
Like Ron, I used a large cam (#4 Friend) at the base of the offwidth, then put a medium cam in the horizontal on the right midway up the offwidth. Both placements are bomber, so the offwidth is totally safe.
I did the route in two pitches as described above, without the optional belay, and had absolutely no problems with rope drag. But I didn't put a ton of pro in while climbing the corner above the offwidth. YMMV.
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