Climbers on the 2nd to last pitch. Taken from Moo...
Description
This is an amazing route, combining both excellent free climbing and moderate clean aid on an amazing headwall. This is an excellent step up from the standard Zion trade routes but is really not that serious.
The anchors are all bolted and it is typical to rap the route to descend. I have read that it is wise to fix a rope between the 6th and 4th pitch anchors for retreat (which we did not do). You can do this rap with 60 meter ropes and land on a ledge a little down and right of the P4 anchors, which you can then scramble up to.
For competent and experienced parties there should be no problem doing this route in a day. To find the base of the route hike up towards it and aim for the base of a stunning handcrack on the second pitch.
P1 Is a dirty short grovelly bit that is soloable at about 5.4 or so. There are bolted anchors on top of a ledge.
P2 Start on runout 5.7 face climbing to a sport-bolted section of 5.11a which is not really aidable (but you could always just pull on the bolts to make it easier). This leads to the base of a crack that goes from fingers to wide hands at 5.9. This 60m pitch is amazing.
P3 Climb a 5.10 handcrack left of the belay.
P4 A 5.9, left-facing chimney to some easier scrambling.
P5 Climb a bunch of blocky ledges to a steep, and somewhat sandy lieback flake crack system that ends to the left of the obvious prow (5.9). Pitches 3 through 5 are all pretty short and you can take your pick on which two to link, just beware of drag.
P6 Aid the bolt ladder with one hook move up the overhanging prow, around the corner, and then to a set of anchors at the base of the headwall crack. A few rivet hangers are handy.
P7 The first pitch of the amazing crack that splits the headwall. C2+ micro-nutting fun; lots of aliens and offset aliens are good too. This pitch is fiddly and sustained, but never too hard as there is always a good cam or nut before a thin section.
P8 The second headwall pitch that begins easy, but packs a punch. Aid C2 for a while up to a bolt under an overlap. There are opportunities for Camalots throughout this section. Eventually it gets thinner and some hook moves and bathooks are necessary to move right to another crack. This is the C3 crux of the route. A couple more thin micro scars lead to mandatory 5.6 steep free climbing to the belay. This section is extremely loose. Beware of huge loose blocks, but it is possible to climb around them.
P9 Didn't get to do this because of a huge thunderstorm that pummeled us and sent us to the ground in retreat. Apparently a C1 crack to a 5.6 ramp to a short bolt ladder to the top.
Have great fun on this amazing route!
Protection
For the first half of the route (which is free) you will want a standard free rack up to a number 4 Camalot. Take doubles in the hand-size pieces.
For the aid, you will want cam hooks, tons of micro nuts, tons of regular nuts, offset Aliens, two bathooks, and a couple other hooks like a cliffhanger, as well as all the usual stuff.
Great route to escape C1, C2 classics barbecue on ledge on tower where chimney ends (pitch3), so bring sausages and beer. Last pitch thin crack and a bit free climbing. Rappelling no problem. strategy: fix to pitch4 (3 ropes), start very early next morning and push it in 1 day.
Well I'll answer my own question. Did it last weekend with no offset aliens with no problem. Offset nuts (lots of them) work fine. Superb climbing that felt a step harder than Lunar X.
Pitch 2 can be aided past the bolts on straight forward hooks. It is pretty fun hooking with good bolts for pro, of course it also an excellent free pitch.
Thinking about a solo ascent this spring and what kind ofbig gear do you need after the bolt ladder on the head wall?? Anything bigger than a #1 Camalot?? Beta would bemuch appreciated. Thanks...M.N.
Regarding big gear on the headwall, I would reccomend a single set of camalots. They aren't necesary but you can get a few bomber placements which I was plenty happy to have.
Just did this route yesterday-excellent free climbing down low and great aiding up high on the exposed headwall...no need to fix a rope for the decent to ptich 4. We used: 2x blue alien - #4 C4 (nothing bigger) c3's many offset brass no normal stoppers hybrid aliens aluminum offsets assorted hooks no camhooks 2x 60m ropes rivet hangers --May want to bring new webbing for anchors--
By Jesse Zacher Administrator From: Grand Junction, Co Nov 12, 2008
On the last hard aid pitch you hook left not right. The Supertopo topo also shows it going right. Unless I was out of my mind and on a different route, you hook (one move) left.
Did all but the last pitch last weekend (Oct 09)...really fun free and aid as everyone says. Lots to add, though.
Approach: Maybe 5 minutes with a daypack, or on the way down, but schlepping huge pigs up that sandy trail took at least 20 minutes I think. Maybe I just really don't like hiking. Okay, I just really don't like hiking.
Rack (idealized): 3-4 sets offset stoppers (mostly #3-7); 2 sets offset cams (mostly the smaller sizes); 2-3 sets normal cams up to BD .75 or so; doubles #1-4 (not sure if we used the second #4 actually); set of hooks (talon, cliffhanger, grappling). No normal stoppers, no cam hooks (this is desert C, eh?), no tricams, no rivet hangers.
P1: carry a single #2 camalot. You can walk this up the 5.7 ramp, pull it, then it protects the little "5.8" move up higher too. Go light!
P2: pretty full value if you're not in free climbing shape!
Bivy ledge after P3: has one biohazard bolt and one good. Charcoal grill, with charcoal up there currently.
P4: We took a crack system off the left side of the bivy ledge, to the right of the crack shown in the supertopo. Probably 5.9 and links up with P4 anchor. Can link this with P5 in one loooong pitch with 60m ropes.
P6: carry a grappling hook, a gray alien (or orange tcu), and a bunch of draws/biners. Enjoy the security of bolts!
P7: jugged it.
P8: excitement! Bring the full arsenal. I only brought one set of the hand-sized pieces and wished I had both. Very sustained, I thought...don't leave too much small stuff down low. Jesse - agree that the primary crack switching hook move is to the left (the bat hole). That said, I think I hooked every possible direction on the pitch at some point. There's a small stance at the top of this pitch for the belay.
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