Star Trek and the "Lost in Space" 5.7+R Variant ?

Just a bit of poor rock at the top of Pitch 1 and at the start of P2 keeps the "stars" at only 2, otherwise a nice way to get to the clean, white slabs above, and otherwise a 3 star climb for sure. The bad rock and "tree/bush thrashing" of the normal P1 can be totally avoided by climbing any of the variations listed as separate climbs: ("Middle of the Night"[5.6-5.7] "First Knight Returns"[5.7]  or "Grey Ghost"[ 5.8+?]) on the clean slab just left of  "A Night Climb for 2 Knights..."....it is highly recommended to START there.

APPROACH to original start of Star Trek: From the RR Tracks go up the short rock gully to the main slab (i.e. to the lowest 'toe' of the slab at the start of the Std Route; same as the winter climb Cinema Gully) then up RIGHT along the base passing starts of Time Traveler and Across-the-Universe. Continue upwards close to the base of the slab for another 40-50 ft or so, (very steep dirt) then slab right through the woods 50-75 ft to the next low angle, easy slab. [photo 1] Start here, about 1/2 way up the slab at a 6-8" maple tree. (FA party probably started lower, as their P1 length is given as 150 ft)

NOTE: Route description slightly revised May 2016.

 P1- Original start [see Var./Alt] 100 ft 5.2-5.4  Diagonal easily up the slab to cross it, then either up through the bushes, trees and dirt,...or up the very poor rock just to the left of the same. In 2007, when confronted with a mossy wall, I climbed up on a 'nose-like" feature to the right, but in 2015  this nose had fallen off and left shattered yellow rock!, I stepped gingerly across to the right, then up. In 2022, when rappelling, I noticed this was now gone too, leaving high-angle, pretty unconsolidated dirt. NOT RECOMMENDED!  But if you do make it up the dirt, Belay in trees at the base of the dark rock where the letters "S T" are scratched/engraved(?) into the rock. [photo]

Variation/Alternate: Much cleaner and more solid rock is found on any of the slab variations to P1 of A Night Climb for Two Knights".  If chosing this alternative, a better approach is as follows: 

Direct Approach to the "Night Climb" slab: Hike up from Hattie's Garden parking to the RR tracks. Look for a small cairn about 150 RR-ties "up-notch" from the "Cinema" gully, then follow cairns steeply up, keeping generally to the right side of the wide gully, to a horizontal dirt ledge just right of the "toe" of the slab that is Pitch1 of Star Trek. Move right 25-30 ft, crossing a new (2020) short section of white slab (or, descend and climb around this) and then follow a zig-zag path up on steep ground, finally cutting back left and up to a small flattish area suitable for roping up. There should be a triple-trunked bitch tree [photo] on the slab to your left, about 20 ft up. If you find yourself directly below a very mossy slab you are too far right. The correct route of approach touches the very bottom left of this slab at a small overlap.

P2- 80 ft 5.4-5.5 (PG) "The Black Band"   Climb up 5+/- ft left of the "ST" on less secure rock, past one bolt to a second 3/8 inch bolt next to an old 1/4 inch.  From this bolt, continue traversing left 20-25 ft (staying low) and then climb up through the "nose" [photo]. Belay at the double-bolt 3/8-inch belay/rap station. [First climbed in 1966 as part of “Night Climb…”  ; belay was on top of flake/slab on the right.] 

According to all published route descriptions the route "Celestial Path" leaves here, moves right then up to a tree island.  “CP’s” next pitch takes a rising traverse right, then up to the next available tree ledge. [See route description submitted by Gunkswest]

P3- 100 ft 5.5-5.6  From the top-of-the-flake belay, move left, clip a new 3/8" bolt ["backed up" by the old 1/4" !] Make a big step back left, then left to start up a sort of dike-like ramp with rounded holds. Excellent rock with reasonable protection behind rounded flakes. Nuts helpful.  Belay at left, at a 2-bolt anchor. [" 1966’s A Night Climb..." branched off to the right just before this belay, which wasn’t put in until Star Trek, 1982. “Night Climb” belayed in the tree island and then moved diagonally up and right.] 

P4- 100 ft 5.5 - 5.6 PG/R Continue up and slightly right following a weak dike-like weakness. At about 40 ft up (5.4 R) pass an old 1/4" bolt with a new 3/8" bolt next to it, then up further to a 3/8" bolt that replaced a second old 1/4". Belay slightly left at a 2 bolt belay. You can traverse right to Gamma Ray  from this anchor/rap station. See the route description.

P5- Continue up and left along an obvious ramp-like feature. When we climbed the route, at the "end" of this "ramp" we made an easier-than-it-looked slabby move left to gain very easy climbing up a "groove" with rounded holds that led up to the Big Tree Ledge. [although a "P6" might be required] The actual F.A. may have gone straight up a slab just to the right of this feature (which looked to be certain "R/X" territory).

Once moved into the "groove" it was also possible to traverse further left to gain the rap/belay anchors (rap with 2 ropes) at the top of the "Milky Way Pitch" of Across the Universe.

P5a- "Lost in Space" Variation see also separate route description posted by Gunkswest; he has the variation as a 2-pitch Var., starting at the end of his P2 and going all the way to "the tree ledge" in 2 pitches. They would have to be rope-stretchers with 50 m (165ft) ropes. Rapping from the Big Tree ledge to the end of P2 is four 100-ft raps. Even if the tree ledge he speaks of is the "Mid-Slab-tree-ledge" it's 3 x 100 ft raps. Gunkswest indicates P3a has "2 bolts" and goes "to the regular belay", then his P4a heads up a white slab to the tree covered ledge. ]

Here's what we did, I think it's (most of) the 2nd Pitch given by Gunkswest. If his description is correct, there must be a lower pitch that climbs the slab to the left of the regular P3.

Pitch 5a "Lost in Space" Variation   110 ft  5.7 / 5.7+ R From the dbl bolt anchor at the end of P4, climb straight up the white slab above. 20 +/- ft up, and a bit right of the whitest rock there is a "hole" that accepted a red alien (a Tri-Cam might be better) near the 5.7 / 5.7+ crux. Then easier (5.5-5.6) to the flake (#3 or #2 Camalot) and up to the "mid-slab tree ledge" above. [NOTE: The F.A. may have not gone right to the "mid-slab tree ledge" but rather stayed on the slab; but this would have been a VERY long pitch, especially in the day of 150ft / 50m (165ft) ropes]

P6a - If you want to climb up to the Big Tree Ledge, climb up about 125 ft of brown slab, then high-angle bushes and trees. Alternately, and a much nicer route to the Big Tree Ledge, is to walk & slither down the mid-slab tree ledge 30 +/- ft and finish on P5 (and 6) of "A Night Climb for 2 Knights."

Descent: From the big oak tree at the climber's left end of the mid-slab tree ledge, descend as follows with a single 60m rope:

1) From a Dbl  bolt anchor 15 ft left of the oak tree to belay/rap of P4 of Star Trek

2) From P4 to P3

3) From P3 to P2

4) From the P2 belay/rap anchor to the tree ledge at the "ST" Take care with this rap, may be some lose rock.  The first rapellers down should walk to rapeller’s/ climbers right on the ledge to get out of the "line of fire".

>>It is possible to rap off one of these trees, near where you land, directly to the base, but it is bushy, dirty, and has much lose rock. Better to Walk to rapeller’s right / skier's left 30 +/- ft, find a rap anchor on a small oak tree.

5) Rap from a 5-inch diameter oak tree only about 40-50 ft to a dbl bolt rap station

6) Rap to the ground, below the triple-trunked birch tree of "A Night Climb"