Starstruck  5.8

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Type:  Trad, 3 pitches, 220 feet Consensus:  5.8 [details] FA:  J. Steiger, J. Saviers-Steiger, Sept. 27, 2008 New Route:  Yes Submitted By:  John Steiger on Oct 5, 2008 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (13) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

BETA PHOTO: The northwest face of Strone Crag. Marked are Sta...

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Description 

Starstruck takes a line just below the right shoulder of the northwest face of Strone Crag, taking in some beautiful formations and providing good position. Maybe not a full three stars now, but it should be after several more ascents.

The first pitch begins by climbing a short slab that is just above the start of the ledge system cutting across the base of Strone Crag’s northwest face (see Location). A cam in a horizontal pod and micronuts in a seam protect the slab adequately (there are good slots; look around). Continue up the crack systems above the slab to a ledge and take a short, sweet left-facing corner to another ledge system. Walk left to a bolted belay. (90 feet).

Pitch two starts by stepping left from the top bolt onto the face. Climb thin cracks until possible to move left into a hanging dihedral. Continue up the dihedral to another ledge and belay from gear. (80 feet).

The last pitch works up the obvious crack above the stance and over a small roof. Once over the roof, move left around the corner and face climb to the top and a two-bolt anchor. (50 feet). The last two pitches can be combined with a liberal use of runners.

Location 

Starstruck is on the northwest face of Strone Crag, maybe 200 feet right of the pine tree at the base of Le Rap et Tap and Wealth of Nations, above the unappetizing dark shale bands that prevent direct access to the northwest face. The best approach to reach the route, as well as all the other routes on the north face of Strone (except for Standard Ridge), is from Challenge Buttress. From the road, walk the well-trod Challenge Buttress trail to where it splits, then take the path to the right (the trail left goes to Challenge’s east face). After 40 or so feet, the trail splits again; stay to the right (going left leads to Challenge’s north and west faces). Continue along this trail for maybe 200 feet to its end at a scree and boulder gully, where a steeper trail can be gained that ascends the right-side of the gully and soon reaches the right-end of the ledge system from which all the routes start. The start of the ledge system is usually cairned. Starstruck begins on the obvious slab above the right-end of the ledge system, just above a large, dead pine tree.

Protection 

Standard trad rack supplemented by a set of micronuts (for the first pitch slab). Can make one long rappel from the two-bolt anchor atop the route (two 60 meter ropes), or two rappels stopping at a two-bolt hanging stance halfway down (not recommended). Both get you to the ledge system from which the climb begins.

Photos of Starstruck Slideshow

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BETA PHOTO: Janie on the first pitch during the FA.	Second pitch.	To the top.