These are really two separate routes. I have climbed them several times now, and always seem to combine them to attain the top of Quartermoon.
Initially, Aurora Borealis, named for the lightshow the FA witnessed the night before during their drive to Ibex, started partway up the East Face of Quartermoon. It ended on a big ledge with a two bolt belay on a gargantuan boulder. Lunar Power later started at the actual base of the Tower at its lowest point and then continued to the summit. By combining these two routes, one has one of the longest routes at Ibex and makes for a great option for climbing Quartermoon. This climb has just about everything going for it. The very start is 5.12b (FFA=Tim Toula) for one move but is easily cheatable and well protected.
Pitch #1: Start at the overhang near a large flat topped boulder at the base of the east face of Quartermoon. Getting off the ground will be the hardest move. Pass 4 bolts to a ledge and belay here or continue up passing many bolts and killer gear placements in a long pitch reaching a two bolt belay. 5.10a A0 or 5.12b, 45m.
Pitch #2: Continue up the steep face following more bolts to the the big aforementioned ledge. 5.10b, 30m.
Pitch #3: Lunar Power begins here and climbs an easy step to another down sloping ledge and another two-bolt belay. 5.6, 15m.
Pitch #4: Climb a rightward diagonalling crack to a couple of bolts and move right to a wide bolted layback crack. Follow this until one reaches an inset chimney / ramp. You will find a two-bolt belay here. 5.9, 30m
Pitch #5: Climb the rampish chimney to another ledge. Cross the ledge to a perfect steep hand crack that reaches a two-bolt belay at the base of the final chimney. 5.7.
Pitch #6: Utilize the final pitch of Lunar Power to worm your way through the pleasant and well protected Chimney/OW (one bolt) to a final puzzling finger crack to the two bolt belay on top. 5.9, 25m. Continue on to the tower top to the north for festivities and sign in.
Descent is best via the northern routes or by Walking The Moonbeam.
Location
Walk along the base of the East Face of Quartermoon to the table top boulder. The bolts will be seen from there. Aurora Borealis is the original route here and Lunar Power provided a prefix and suffix type extension of the climb. Probably best to descend one of the other routes.
What a fun route, I can see doing it again and again! All belays are on excellent ledges and what nice position.
A few side notes: -We stopped at most bolted belays which would make the route 7 pitches. The description should include that there is a bolted belay 4 bolts up on a ledge, about 40 feet up on the first pitch. Which is nice if your trying to work the crux, and you can keep a close eye on the leader for the moves above. And there is more than "one" 5.12 move. -Didn't see a belay after the big boulder/downsloping ramp.(P4) Saw 2 glue in's on the big boulder but we might have missed it. Very easy with slings to combine this pitch to the base of the described inset chimney belay. - We ran the last 2 pitches together in order to stay in the sun for belays which is nice this time of year. And the perfect handcrack is about 12 long, too bad, cause it's good.
This line is super fun. Spicy old school bolting on bomber rock with in obvious gear placements keep the climbing captivating. Thanks for the work in setting this route up!!! I will do this again. Luked
Unless you're on a mission to send the 12 pitch clean, there's no reason to go through the trouble of aiding it. You can walk around the south side of the tower and traverse back on a ledge to the intermediate anchor on top of the hard 4 bolt section. Enjoy the long 10a pitch from there. Getting to the 2nd bolt on aid required A LOT of cursing a finally standing in a shoulder length runner to get the clip. Pulling on a draw on the first bolt won't get you there if you're 5'11" or less. Not exactly easy and ridiculously not fun.
You can also bail on a ledge on top of P1 if rain catches you...
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