This route has engaging climbing on thought-provoking rock. The crux is probably going over the little roof. If it seems harder than 5.8 then remember to stem. There are enough footholds to keep the climbing pretty tame. You can get a fair amount of gear in, though who knows how much of it would hold.
Location
The route goes up an obvious corner system that faces up toward Hurrah Pass. It's the only line on the formation that looks like it could be 5.8... See beta pic.
Protection
A set of cams and micro cams. I used a #6 Friend right before the roof. Pins (as stated in the Bjornstad guide) not needed.
Though Desert Rock III suggests bringing some pitons, I climbed it clean pretty easily on March 27, 2009. It's probably been done before, too...
Desert Rock III also mentions two bolts on top. I didn't really look around for them, but I didn't see any. The summit block has 1" webbing and a section of rope around it. There are a couple leaver biners on the slings.
There is another small hoodoo adjacent to this formation. Sometime in the early 2000's I did the FA of the smaller adjacent hoodoo. It climbs a short line on the side that faces the Mt. Everest formation. I can't remember whether it used pitons or was clean, but I will try to find that information in my notes. It seems to me like it was A2-ish, mostly due to bad rock. Just another something to do on "waste days". I named this formation K2 to go along with the high mountain theme. On the summit there is some type of manky anchor, can't remember what it is; maybe two bolts, maybe not. If there is only one, feel free to put in another to create a nice anchor on the top.
I climbed Everest and K2. Freed both of them. Everest is 5.8 with weird gear and I thought K2 was 5.9 or 5.9+ R with a one bolt anchor on the summit. If you actually had to hang on the gear it probably would have been A2. I have a photo and can post a separate description if you want Ben.
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