The Dog  5.7

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Type:  Trad, 3 pitches, 400 feet Consensus:  5.7 [details] FA:  B. & R. Gillett, 1986 Submitted By:  Leo Paik on Jan 1, 2005 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (31) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

3rd pitch of "The Dog".

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Season raptor closures MORE INFO >>> The following areas are closed from March 1-July 31 or until further notice: Twin Owls, Rock One, Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Sheep Mountain, Thunder Buttress, The Parish, Lightning Rock and Checkerboard Rock are currently closed. The closures include the named rock formations and the areas extending 100 yards surrounding the base of the formation. This includes all climbing routes, outcroppings, cliffs, faces, ascent and descent routes and climber's access trails to the formation. Alligator Rock is also closed. www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/area_closures.htm This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

Description 

This is a pleasant, 3 pitch route on the Left Book. It may not be quite the quality of Hiatus or White Whale, but it can provide a good alternative for those who have done the more popular classics enough that they have lost their charm or when the popular classics have queues leading to frustration. This line lies just left of White Whale on the 'almost climb anywhere slab.' It follows distinct terrain and is probably harder than White Whale or Manifest Destiny, but it seems easier than Hiatus or Beelzebub. The start lies near the nadir of the Left Book.

P1. This starts up in the left-facing dihedral with two loop-able horns above 15 feet up just left of White Whale. Follow this dihedral up easy terrain for 30 feet or so, you can sling the first tree of White Whale, then the difficulty ratchets up as the dihedral closes tighter than fingers (which feels like the crux) for a few moves. The dihedral opens up just above. There is a good rest before the dihedral fades. Where it fades, face climb (5.7) left with no protection for about 15-18 feet. Find a nice belay on a boulder in a notch. ~110 feet.

P2. From this notch lie two opposing dihedrals, take the right one (left-facing) to a small overlap (#3 Camalot), make a longish reach to a jug, pull over, slot a small cam (green Alien size), move R to a pleasant, easy crack. Run this to a stance. ~165 feet.

P3. Continue up angling left with face & crack moves (perhaps 35 feet) & then angle right to a sloping ramp. Move over the ramp & gain a small R dihedral-like feature, find an old pin, face climb up to a small roof, pass the roof on the R. This bit above the pin may feel slightly runout. ~100 feet. 2.2 stars.

Apparently, P2 has a variation continuing straight over the overlap with 5.6 s climbing (perhaps 70 feet without protection).

Walk off left down the Paperback Ledge.

Protection 

Standard rack to #3.5 Camalot or #4 Friend. More hand to fist size if you sew up easy cracks.

Photos of The Dog Slideshow

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Jeff Gunter on P1 at the crux.	Unknown climber stretching the pitches to make it ...	Ray Nieb on P3, fun, fun, fun...oh, it's The Dog.
Pitch 2 from White Whale belay.	High on the second pitch.