Tricia Fusco clearing the roof on a variation of P...
Description
As this route gets cleaned up, it will be recognized as a classic comparable to Gelsa or Three Pines. It's just beyond the popular part of the Near Trapps. A lot of climbing on this one.
This route is hard to find without a good guidebook but I'll try. After passing Birdland, the rock becomes more broken. Another short section of good rock (Elder Cleavage and Up Yours) leads to the rest of the Nears, a long stretch of questionable-looking rock. About 150' past Up Yours, the rock improves a bit and you can see a corner system that begins about 40' up. This is YYYY.
P1: Climb easy slabs to a nice ledge below the corner. Climb up to the corner and follow it to a good ledge with a tree (5.4).
P2: Climb easily up. Watch for a bit of loose rock. At a big ledge below the steep part of the wall, climb up and left to a nice ledge in an alcove at the base of a large corner below a big roof.
P3: Climb up the corner (fixed pin), then either traverse left (my favorite) or right (the official route). Spectacular exposure either way.
I agree with John, YYYY is a great climb. I rate it significantly above Three Pines and just slightly below Gelsa in quality. Swain has it as a 5.3 but P1 does offer some challenges and probably deserving of a 5.4.
Other than the traversing P2 to the alcove the route is clean. Maybe I will get the brush and pruning shears out on the next trip up it.
By saxfiend Administrator From: Atlanta, GA Nov 27, 2006
Nice pictures! I'm sorry I didn't get to do this one when I was up there.
Dick Williams lists four pitches for this route; does your P2 combine his P2 and P3?
Obviously haven't looked at this in awhile. Since John hasn't replied yet I will throw my $.02 in for what it's worth.
I don't have the Williams guide. However I assume it describes a short first pitch, maybe 30 to 35 feet, to a ledge with a small pine tree at the base of the left facing corner. Many people belay here. It would seem John's P1 combines what I surmise is Williams' P1 & P2. You can see this belay pine tree just above Tricia in the photo entitled "Tricia at the Start" from Denis.
My comment above about P1 deserving of a 5.4 is assuming you don't belay at the pine tree ledge but continue up the left facing corner. You probably end up with a pitch of about 150 feet. But I haven't been on it in awhile and my memory isn't always the best.
Sorry about not responding. I'm afraid I'm no longer a Gunks local and I can't find my old copy of Williams. I believe the previous poster is correct - my P1 = P1 + P2 in Williams. There are 4 good belay points on the climb - at the first big tree, at a nice ledge with a big tree (rap anchor) after the corner (70' above the previous stance), a nice stance on the GT before the leftward traverse (about 60' higher), and a good stance at the base of the final corner (about 60' more). Doesn't much matter which of these you use - my current theory is to solo to the 1st tree 30' up and then take a really long pitch up to the great ledge at the base of the final corner. Probably need a 60m for this. Climbed YYYY last summer and I continue to be impressed with it.
The Near Trapps
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