The Headache is anything but its namesake: an über-classic line with hands, fingers and a short, offwidth section.
Before undertaking, check at the vistor center as this climb has been subject to raptor closings in years past.
P1 (.10b) The climb begins with two options: either a one inch or a three inch crack, both splitter. Pick one and jam beautiful cracks to the first short, 10b offwidth crux, which protects really well with a 3.5 Camalot.
P2 (5.9+ or easy 5.10) Pitch two goes at 5.9+ or easy 5.10, depending on your height. Cruise up and left from the belay, working through some great .9 terrain until you clip a good bolt on the "puzzle piece" before a splitter roof. Surmount the roof, then up more .9 to the second belay, a tree with slings.
P3 Begins with some really fun, easy, lower-angled cracks and gets progressively more difficult as you near the chains. Save those green Camalots. The pitch ends on a large ledge, from which you rap off 60 meters to a hanging rap anchor. Rap another 60 to the ground.
Protection
At minimum, two sets of cams from 3" to 3.5" (heavy on green and yellow camalots), a set of stoppers, 8 draws and 5 shoulder length slings.
best three pitch route in zion. pay attention to perigrine falcon closures. we almost got ticketed due to the vague description of closure dates in the bjornstadt guide.
By Teleman From: Steamboat Springs, CO Apr 18, 2004 rating: 5.10b
Don't do this climb unless you love to jam!Just did this route 4/16/04 and found it to contain more quality climbing per pitch than anything I can remember any where. Right off the deck you have in your face hand jamming that just leads in to all forms of jams. It is good to remember how to do a face move or two, since every pitch requires at some point that you step a little outside the crack to gain a move.I had no beta going in to this climb other than bring a lot of gear. The #3.5 Met cam was very useful on the off-width on P1 and was even used on P2 when I ran out of #2's and the cracked flaired enough to accept the #3.5. Having 3 #2's would have been useful, I could have left the small nuts and the #4 cam at home, but a couple of tricams and the medium nuts could be useful.The roof on P2 is an interesting problem, but once you identify the hand crack you are there.
I thought it was a killer route - especially if you don't have time to do something long. The approach was also perfect if you're short on time - 5 seconds of flat walking. The guidebook says its5.9 + start pitch, but it felt more as described here.We used a #4 camalot as we didn't have a 3.5, and my friend had to scoot it up and through the first pod to retrieve it. Pitch 2 is really cruiser and the last pitch is the best.
Awesome route! I may be mistaken,but pretty sure it is rated 10a. First pitch is standard Zion 5.9+, no harder. Simply straight forward jamming for the first 30 feet.
By Gaar From: Springdale / Zion UT May 25, 2007 rating: 5.10a/b
A 70m doesnt come close to rapping off the last pitch, USE 2 ROPES!!!!
Near Mount Carmel Tunnel
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