Oscar and Charley -> Strictly from Nowhere -> Shockley's Ceiling Beta

I was hoping to lead this linkup but there's not a ton of information on the respective MP pages of the routes, and Oscar and Charley isn't even in the Gunks App. I'm looking for an adventure that isn't completely mapped out, but I don't want to get in over my head. I'm good to lead 5.8 and will be leading past the Strickley roof, while my partner leads 5.6 and I'm hoping to get her to do the Shockley's roof.

I've led Shockley's a few times, but never done either of the other two routes.

Does this linkup get climbed often? Is the routefinding difficult? Does the difficulty stay within 5.7ish range? How's the pro?

Buy the Williams guidebook or stop in Rock and Snow on the way to the cliff and ask for beta( they tend to be very helpful). Or track down Ranger Bob Elsinger .P1 of Oscars is the best way to start Strickleys in my opinion.

David Kerkeslager wrote: I was hoping to lead this linkup but there's not a ton of information on the respective MP pages of the routes, and Oscar and Charley isn't even in the Gunks App. I'm looking for an adventure that isn't completely mapped out

In the Gunks App there is a note at the bottom that mentions the popular link-up from Travel's into Strictly's. From the bolted SfN belay there is easy but wandering terrain that diagonals up and right into Shockley's. Just aim for the Shockle'y's roof. Alternatively if you find yourself at the top of p2 of SfN you can traverse right on the ledge to the SC belay.

VERY approximate

Hey David - i've done this variation and it's fun and manageable. all of these features are highly visible: you start at the left facing corner. once on top of that you aim for the strictly roof (i remember accessing this without any issues). from there you will very clearly see where to go to arrive at Shockley's Celing. Super doable, go get it!

Oscar and Charley is in the app, it's just under "Travels with Charley". When you get to the top of p1 of travels with charlie, continue climbing straight up into the strictly corner to the chains at the tree.  next pitch is just wandering towards shockleys.  if you've done shockley's then this pitch is super straight forward (just aim up towards shockleys and you'll get there). 

If youre looking for an adventure, start in the corner left of the start of strictly, then just follow your nose towards the strictly roof. 

On the traversing stretch between the Strictly chains and Shockley's proper, the climbing is easy but I don't recall the pro being very good.  Shouldn't bother you if you lead 5.8, though.

Also, it's possible to do this climb in 2 pitches if you mind the rope drag.

Gunks Apps wrote:

In the Gunks App there is a note at the bottom that mentions the popular link-up from Travel's into Strictly's. From the bolted SfN belay there is easy but wandering terrain that diagonals up and right into Shockley's. Just aim for the Shockle'y's roof. Alternatively if you find yourself at the top of p2 of SfN you can traverse right on the ledge to the SC belay.

I agree with what you mentioned above... some of the adventure is preserved when it's not completely mapped out.

Thanks for the beta. I hope you didn't take my comment that it's not in the app as criticism--the app is great!

David Kerkeslager wrote:

Thanks for the beta. I hope you didn't take my comment that it's not in the app as criticism--the app is great!

In the picture he posted you can also see how to do the link up from p1 of oscar charley:  the lowest rapp station (the one on the tree) is where you step right to continue up SFN

bridge wrote: On the traversing stretch between the Strictly chains and Shockley's proper, the climbing is easy but I don't recall the pro being very good.  Shouldn't bother you if you lead 5.8, though.

Hm, my partner would be leading that part, though.

David Kerkeslager wrote:

Hm, my partner would be leading that part, though.

Rob D. wrote: If you wanted to lead all three, you could pretty easily flop the rope at the SFN belay.  That pitch shouldn't scare you off of the link up.  it's a pretty chill pitch and the gear isn't great but it's there.  

Well, the original motivation for dong this linkup was that I wanted to get my partner to do the Shockley's roof, but I didn't really want to do the first two pitches of Shockley's again (they kind of drag down the quality of the route IMO). She's a fairly new trad leader and I'm encouraging her to try routes that are within her ability but will challenge her, but I don't want to send her leading into unprotected territory quite yet.

I would recommend doing it in 3 anyway