A pretty fun stemming pitch with a slightly spicey crux. It is a bit licheny, so my guess is that it doesn't get climbed that much, though it is an excellent pitch.
Approach by climbing the first pitch of Everlasting (5.8+). From the Everlasting belay, traverse right past the first bolt of Everlasting's 2nd pitch and climb slighlty loose and vegetated cracks and flakes up into the dihedral formed by the right side of the Everlasting column. This is where the fun begins.
Stem up the corner that starts fairly moderately but becomes increasingly difficult as you ascend. The crack in the dihedral eventually peters out, but good RPs can be placed in the crack on the right. The section at the stemming crux does not eat gear and the final moves out of the crux are a bit above your last nut. Continue more easily to a final tricky move left onto the Everlasting column.
Double rope rap to the Everlasting belay and then a double rope rap to the ground
Protection
Lots of nuts, including RPs. Some small cams up to #1.5 Friend. A #2 Camalot works well in a pod before you start stringing together RPs.
It is wise to take about five or six over the shoulder length slings for this route as the protection is along two separate crack lines. The gear placements can be tedious at times and won't always inspire confidence. Not the best choice for a leader whose limit is 5.10d. None the less a must do for those who frequent Devils Tower despite the vegetated nature.
Good adventure route! Some local kind of sandbagged me into getting on it at the end of a blustery day (I've sent 5.13 — how hard can 10d be?). At one point I was beginning to wonder if I was off route … It's all there, though. The hardest part is staying relaxed enough to keep your feet from shaking off of the delicate stances. Certainly not uber classic, but a good test piece for the mind.
North Face & Northwest Corner
RSS Feed
