Archaeopteryx

This three pitch route ascends the very steep, very visible north face of Seal Rock, tackling a brilliant yellow-lichen streaked headwall on the last pitch. It is one route right of the more easily-located Sea of Joy (13a), a three-pitch sport route about 20-30 feet left that parallels Archaeopteryx to the right.

P1: Start below the bolts on Sea of Joy and traverse right along a dirty ramp, passing two small trees. When opportunity presents itself, move up onto the face above, climbing slightly left of a left-arching corner system to reach a two-bolt belay below the roof band which splits the face. This is a very serious 5.10 pitch, sure to challenge your route-finding skills.

P2: Move right off the belay then back left into the clean tips layaway, which you follow left and into the apex of an A-frame roof. Turn the roof at a fixed copperhead and belay off the double drilled angles above, which can be backed up in the purple rock out right (an extra #3 Camalot comes in handy here). (5.11b)

P3: The crux. Crank thin moves left off the belay (no pro) and stand up to a good hole. The pitch diagonals consistently up and right from here along the pod system/crack, which takes sporadic gear. The climbing and position on this pitch are absolutely brilliant! (5.11c/d)

This difficult to protect route is . . . well, difficult to protect. Bring a full Eldo-type rack up to a #3 Camalot, with plenty of stoppers and small-mid range TCUs or Aliens.