Chimney start. We still had to cross a snow field but it is lower angle and less exposed than the normal start and didn't require axe or crampons (May 22)

All Locations > California > High Sierra > 09 - Palisades… > Temple Crag > Venusian Blind (5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b)

Chimney start. We still had to cross a snow field but it is lower angle and less exposed than the normal start and didn't require axe or crampons (May 22)

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Island hopping near the top

Venusian Blind.

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Ben Kraft

May 23, 2022

“Chimney start. We still had to cross a snow field but it is lower angle and less exposed than the normal start and didn't require axe or crampons (May 22)”

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Nearby Photos

Exposure, baby! pitch 13 at the 4' gap. (photo: s.b.)

Temple Crag. The approach for Venusian Blind and Moon Goddess Arete goes up the bottom of the central snowfield and traverses left on the snow-filled ledge below Moon Goddess Arete. From there, the two routes climb third and fourth class slabs, visible as the slabs in sun, to the starts of each respective climb.

The prominent notch high on Venusian Blind in which you must down climb to access the notch, then traverse on big, precarious blocks.Fun, fun!

Current rap station (7/2020) - a 60 m reaches the ground exactly (don't go any shorter!)

hence the name

the route

the follower is bound to have a fun time on the Venusian Blind!

Temple-Galey-Sill traverse & the Palisades

Pitch 6. Look closely, you'll see me in there setting up a belay. <br>
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Beta: Opportunities abound to set your belay stations where they're protected from rockfall. (photo: s.b.)

A ridgeline to climbers right during a break in a snow storm about 2 pitches from the top (early spring 2019)

The short, right-facing corner that marks the start of the fifth class climbing on Venusian Blind.

Escaping the crowded 3rd belay. Note: this was a Wednesday.

Miguel on easy terrain

Jason Shibata on the easy 5th class simul to the base of the real climbing

The delicate block dance on Venusian Blind.

Miguel downclimbing one of the many towers

Snowfield in late July 2022. Easily climbed in approach shoes and a couple rocks since temps were warm. Venusian accessed via ledges to the left.

Can't remember which pitch, but some of the more sustained ones.

visiting climbers from Montana & SLC on one of the 5.7 pitches (I think P9 per Supertopo)

The amazing balancing belay block at the end of the route!

Final tower!!!

Top of first tower!

Comfy belay stance

following the 5.7 pitch

Ross going up one of the better pitches of Venusian Blind.

Venusian Arete

Island hopping near the top

Chimney start. We still had to cross a snow field but it is lower angle and less exposed than the normal start and didn't require axe or crampons (May 22)

Venusian Blind.

Following on Venusian Blind. This pitch ends with a nice 5.7 handcrack. Beware of loose blocks on top of this pitch (and everywhere else along the route for that matter).

Descending to Contact Pass

Pitch 10-11, belay from pins. Can you see the rope line? down, up and over. (photo: s.b.)<br>
<br>
Don't jump up and down too hard on this leaning pile of prominence. Or it just might...

looking S/SE to the Palisades

Final traverse pitches<br>

Miguel cursing the slightly loose variation we took to bypass another party

En route on Venusian Blind

Patrick leading the upper pitches of Venusian Blind

Sitting in the notch after exposed traverse

The final obstacle: Contact Crack downclimb (really not that bad)

Miguel on one of the final slab pitches.

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