The Keyhole  5.8 R

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Type:  Trad, 3 pitches, 600 feet, Grade II Consensus:  5.8 [details] FA:  Gary Neptune? Season:  Faces East Submitted By:  Tony B on Nov 13, 2007 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 

P1: (5.5, 200') Start up at the left end of a sloping bulge, 20' off of the ground. Climb up to the bulge with no protection on a moderate slab, then step left and back right on reasonably good holds to pass by the bulge. Continue up and left on a slab and crack for 200' to reach a belay, perhaps 10 meters below a large and broken roof. The rock above this point is terribly rotten.

P2: (5.8, R, 200) work right or down and right to a left-facing corner that arches left to be continuous with the roof. Place a piece of gear behind some flakes and gingerly step up and right a few times (crux) to pull though towards a shelf visible on the right side. Place a piece of gear and continue up and left to below the keyhole, then through it on its right side. A good stance is available on a massive chockstone, but I didn't like the concept of belaying on it. Continue up and left, then left and up... running it out for some way to reach solid easy climbing to the end of the rope. ledges and huecos abound after a hundred feet or more. Belay on your choice of ledges or butt-bucket heucos.

P3: (5.1, 130') Climb up and right from the belay, heading right from under a large steep tower near the top of the rock and around to the right side of a right-facing corner. This pitch will take you to the ridge at the top of the Slab to a point VERY near the normal downclimb.

Location 

Head uphill and South at the base of the Slab from the bottom of Syzygy (a large, left-facing dihedral just past the end of the rocky drainage/trail) for perhaps another 150 meters. You will arrive at a second left-facing dihedral. Back track 20 meters to below a huge roof with a notch in it that in size and shape resembles the Keyhole on Long's Peak, though this one is through the roof 250' up the slab, rather than being horizontal on the ridge of Long's. You are now at the base of the climb.

Protection 

A standard light rack. Taking more will not help much where the runouts are. Crossing the roof above P1 and the ensuing run through the keyhole are significantly runout, and the rock through the roof potentially loose and dangerous. Pick your path wisely.