This route tackles the long ridge to the right of Coyote Certified.
The first pitch is mostly 4th class with the occasional 5th class move, and belays beneath the first of two pillars.
The second pitch climbs the pillars directly via good crack, and belays on the top of the second pillar. From here move the belay to a good ledge beneath the obvious face. Pitches 1&2 link with heinous rope drag.
Pitch three follows the discontinuous cracks pretty much straight up the face, taking any pro that's offered. Belay at a ledge, though it's tricky to set up the belay. At this point you can escape off right via ledges.
Pitch 4 can be broken into two pitches, which is best. First follow exposed but easy ledges left until the ledges end. A fifth class move of two puts you on a ledge at the bottom of a weird chimney/corner thing, with a crack going out the roof at the top. It's recommended that you belay here.
Weather or not you do, climb the opposition moves to the crack and follow it out the roof. Pulling around onto the face is the crux (awkward 5.8) then some easy moves lead through a notch to a bush. Belay off the bush.
Location
This route starts in the stream bed across from the chlorination plant. Look for a easy chimney/gully thing about 30ft right of where the buttress comes into the stream.
Descent: After the bush belay, walk down obvious ledges hugging the wall on your left. You'll come to a point where you can continue down ledges to a cliff, or scramble up some 3rd class rock and talus to your left. Climb the 3rd class over a ridge, then another, to a much more promising gully. follow this back to the main trail, passing close to The Appendage.
Protection
This is not a good route for the 5.8 leader, as it has tricky pro and somewhat poor belays. Take every protection opportunity, and be confident on quartzite trad to make this fun.
We brought double rack from 000 C3 to #5 Friend, with one #6 Friend, but forgot nuts. Recommended rack would be double rack to #3.5 friend, one set 4,5,6 friend, C3's and nuts. The #5 was particularly useful. No fixed anchors anywhere on the route. Lots of slings.
Another brilliant line from Rock Canyon pioneers. Ridiculously fun and adventurous on surprisingly clean, solid rock. The line wanders a bit, so this is a case where running pitches together isn't worth the effort. Amazing views and fun climbing. I wonder how many more lines like this hide in obscurity?
Ok, thanks for the lovefest on a ridge that has had more variations on ascents than Mathes Crest in the Sierras, but consider that most any way up the ridge (right, left or center) has already been done a long time ago. Like decades. And I might add, they were done ground up, no cams, with slings and passive pro.
I had at least 4 ascents in this area, half of them ropeless and never the same way twice. This was climbed in the 60's. I pulled old pitons out of the rock that were US Army soft iron stuff. I think it's cool that people today are doing it and having fun. They should. We climbed and left no trace because that was the ethic at the time. We didn't leave bolts because we were poor, hand drilling sucked and was always a last option.
We simply climbed and didn't care who knew about it. I think the ridge should remain a place were every climber feels like they're the first one to climb it. You can take my name off the list for the FA because I doubt I was the first. Strike the name too. It's lame and misleading. Let it be an adventure for those with the courage grow a set and climb without map or beta.
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