Shooting Star  5.11a X

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Type:  Trad, 2 pitches, 200 feet Consensus:  5.11b [details] FA:  Alan Nelson, Alf Randell January 1986 Submitted By:  Alan Nelson on Jul 5, 2002 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (2) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

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Description 

Shooting Star is a classic example of a "traditional" bolted route on flawless stone. It was established on-sight, ground-up, on the lead with all bolts hand-drilled from free stances, unlike most of its neighbors on the Astro Domes. The only reason it doesn't merit three stars is the serious nature of the climbing at some points dictated by the purity of the style in which it was done. There is risk of injury or death if you fall off some sections of the route. A cool head, a modern helmet, and a "no-falls" attitude are recommended for the leader.

P1: Start 40' right of Middle Age Crazy, 20' left of Such A Savage on a left slanting crack ramp. Head for a bolt 35' up. Continue straight up face past another bolt until Middle Age Crazy comes in from the left. Clip the third bolt on Middle Age Crazy, then diagonal up left along a natural break. Don't fall off the mantle (5.10) onto the next bolt stance - you'll crater onto the ledge/ramps of Middle Age Crazy with nasty consequences. The crux (5.11a) comes shortly after the bolt and is relatively well protected. Scratch up easier face past one more bolt to a bolt belay at a stance right of the Solid Gold belay.

P2: Head out right and up to a bolt. A slippery bit of 5.10 face leads past another bolt to an easier runout to the summit and a gear belay. Rap off from fixed anchors atop Solid Gold, or hike off the back, then north through a notch and around the North Astro Dome.

Protection 

While predominantly bolt protected, this is NOT a sport route. P1: 5 bolts and some gear to a two bolt anchor. P2: Two bolts to a gear belay on top. Take a light rack of mid-size nuts to 2" cams. The original 1/4" rawl split bolts were replaced in 1990 with 3/8" hardware.