Stepping Stones  5.8 PG13

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Type:  Trad, 2 pitches, 150 feet Consensus:  5.8 [details] FA:  Steve Levin, Sheryl Lehman, 2006 Submitted By:  Dave Holliday on Dec 10, 2010 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (3) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

BETA PHOTO: The start of the route.

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Description 

This route probably doesn't get climbed a lot, but it should as the first pitch in particular was quite interesting.

The first pitch follows the flakes up the middle of the slab. Contrary to appearances there is good gear in the flakes. Continue up the slab to a small, gnarled tree and then go straight up corners and bulges to a large ledge with a tree on the left. (5.8 pg-13, 110 feet).

The second pitch goes straight up from the ledge and follows a thin crack to a bulge in a right-facing corner. Get over the bulge (crux of the pitch) and continue straight up to the rotten band. Traverse very gingerly to the right on loose blocks and rotten rock and then downclimb easily to a large tree with rappel slings. (5.8, 50 feet).

Location 

This route is fairly low on the West Ridge. As you're hiking up the trail, you'll encounter a sign along the trail that reminds people to keep their dogs on leash. A few feet past that is a really big tree right next to the trail. As you take a few steps past the tree, looking up the trail to the rock, you'll see a fairly clean low-angle slab with flakes in the middle. This is the start of the route.

Rappel from the large tree with slings to a bolted rappel anchor and then to the ground. A single 60m rope is fine for the rappels.

Protection 

Standard rack. I found small cams useful for both pitches (blue Alien and smaller).

Photos of Stepping Stones Slideshow

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Near the top of the first pitch on easy ground.

Just below the crux on the second pitch. The gear...