A very exciting and fun route and one of the best face climbs anywhere. Bring gear for the crack on the third pitch. There are just enough bolts to make the climbing sane, but a fall in a number of places could be bad news. Make sure both leader and follower are solid 5.10 climbers as the traverse at the end of pitch one is serious for both. The 2nd and 3rd pitches are easily linked and in fact recommended.
The route starts from atop a large boulder on the left side of the northeast face of the North Astro Dome.
P1) An incredible pitch!! Face climb up and right 30' to the first bolt (easy, but don't screw it up). From the bolt climb up and right to an insecure high-step move (crux, a fall could hurt) and continue up with sustained climbing past 5 more bolts (9+/10a). Traverse straight right for 30 feet past one set of anchors (don't belay here; it's an 80' rap to ground from here) and continue with wild climbing (5.10b with big swing potential) to another set of anchors (belay here; 95' rap to ground from here).
P2) Climb straight up past 1 bolt (5.9) to easier, but runout climbing. Belay at a ledge below the finishing corner or, better yet, link this pitch with the last pitch.
P3) Climb the left-facing dihedral to the top (5.9, gear necessary).
The descent options are thus:
1) Walk off (poor choice).
2) Rap off the left shoulder of North Astro Dome with one rope in two single raps. The first station is just down from the summit, and the second station is located slightly down and left from the first station. This series of raps will put you just up and left of your packs.
3) Rap off the South Astro Dome in two raps with one rope via the route Breakfast of Champions.
Bolts and a small rack consisting of nuts and cams up to 3 inches.
Bring quickdraws and a few longer slings as well.
CA
Lassitude 33
Using a long runner on the 5th bolt (before making the long traverse right) certainly helps with potential rope drag. No need to put a long sling on the left hand belay bolt (as suggested above). Instead, having the rope clipped to a draw up high on the left bolt provides a good TR for the follower at the crux.
As the great shots above demonstrate, bring a camera on the route. Dec 4, 2008
Flaky Foont, WI. Redacted…
I remember feeling it was an amazing climb when I first did it and quite visionary. Sep 4, 2013
The fact that this climb is in the Wonderland vastly adds to its appeal. It wouldn't be the same on Intersection Rock.
First bolt is dangerously high, but easy to get to. The rest of the climb would just involve big air, maybe a little scraping.
I used a yellow c4 at the start of the ramp on p2, then a blue (bumped up once), red, and yellow in the corner, in that order, I think. A 2nd blue would be nice if you don't want to bump up the first. Dec 4, 2013
Puyehue, CL
theloveaffairwithgravity.bl… Sep 20, 2014
Flagstaff, AZ