No Alternative 

Having never climbed No Alternative, we were told to expect some serious runouts on P2 above the main crack/corner system. In reality there are 2-3 overhanging brows that will take a wide range of gear from micro-cams to #1 C4 cams. You are really never more than 25' out from your last piece if you bring a light rack. Not as scary as we were led to believe.

This was my second gear lead, after Dirty Crack. The first pitch was nice and easy and I placed tons of protection on it and felt like I was pulling a dead body the last 30 feet. The second pitch scared the bejesus out of me. It probably didn't help that it was July and my feet felt like they were melting off the rock, but that first (and only) bolt at 75 feet is crazy. I tried to place some gear in those horizontals mbuntaine mentioned, but watched as they slid down the rope. Then I got to the anchors and looked up and figured the next anchors weren't that far away and kept climbing. I was on a 70m rope, but still ran out about 10 feet away from the last anchors. I got taken off belay because I was so close, anchored, and then couldn't figure out what was going on down below because I was 260 feet above my belayer and couldn't see or hear her. She eventually climbed up to the rope, tied in and climbed up to me. Not good. Don't tie pitches together on this route.

Great Alternative if the Arch is crowded! Second pitch is comparable to Yardarm with less lengthy run outs between pro. Fun stuff all around!!! Second and third pitches are good for the beginning slabber!

If you stay on Route, on (P2) of No Alternative, there is no Protection till after you get past the only Bolt, between Belay Stations!!! There is Place to put in Small Cam's or Ball Nut's, after Bolt and just before the Belay Station at top of (P2)!!! It's alittle runout, but all there for you in footplacing!

Why the name change from the original "Punt Flake" to "No Alternative?"

If you want to lessen the runouts on pitch 2, bring a yellow C3 and a .75BD. You can plug the C3 in the first overlapping horizontal you approach about 25-30 feet off the belay, you just have to look a little, there is a small pocket that is a text-book yellow C3 placement, its bomber. You can plug the .75 about 15 feet below the anchors if your feeling a little iffy about the last couple moves to the anchors on that last runout, this placement is also text-book and bomber.