Semi-Wild

This is a cool, "semi-wild" route left of P2 of Anthill Direct that is rarely done. I've never seen anyone on it, and there was no chalk. I've wanted to do this since I first noticed it a couple of years ago from P2 of Anthill Direct.

The adventure is good, position is good, high above the creek and across from The Edge, but the approach and descent involve some work, and the rock has some powdery green lichen which raises the stress level. And there's the scary roof crux.... Maybe 1.5 stars?

There's no gear at the crux roof. The gear is 4 to 5' below, and it's one bomber big brass and another fair brass with better gear below. The roof is reachy and strenuous, and it's not totally clear how to do it. I nearly fell off when my left foot skated off a flake I was pushing off of to increase my reach.

The route: the Rossiter topo shows the climb starting on P2 of Anthill Direct and then angling left across the slab to the base of the vertical crack. We climbed further left, skirting the initial ceiling, up a left angling ramp (good horns to sling), and then angled right on easy ground to the base of the crack. You could also climb more directly up the slab with no gear. The lower part of the crack, up the slab to the base of the headwall, has good gear. The first moves up the headwall are a bit spooky. With difficulty, you can get a fair medium brass to protect these moves. The climbing above is well protected and interesting, with a balancy move to get up to the roof. Get as much gear as you can, since there is no gear at or above the roof. Climb straight through the roof (don't move right through it, although that may also work), protect your second well, and traverse straight right to the Anthill Direct P2 belay.

Descent: if you're familiar and comfortable with Anthill Direct, the best "descent" may be to continue up on Anthill Direct. Otherwise, you can rappel to the Upper Ramp and then off of good bolt anchors in two single-rope or one double-rope rappels to the ground. There are currently two good pins at the top of P2 of Anthill Direct, but there may be no slings and rings. You'll want webbing and rings or leaver biners. If you want to backup the pins with a nut, you'll want more webbing. We left a good, big brass nut in a crack to the right and connected it all with an old cordalette. The rappel passes some large blocks and you land to the right of the Anthill Direct P1 anchor bolts. Easily hike left to those bolts, and then rap from there to the ground.

Approach: Semi-Wild starts from the lowest end of the Upper Ramp, at the top of P1 of Anthill Direct. It's the crack to the left of P2 of Anthill Direct that starts about 1/2 way up the pitch. Get there via Touch and Go or Anthill Direct or by one of the variations right of Touch and Go. Make sure to belay at the Anthill Direct anchors close to the upper wall rather than at the Touch and Go anchors.

2+ sets small cams from green to red Alien, doubles above that to #2/yellow Camalot, 1 or 2 sets brass nuts, 1 set bigger nuts to 1", 20 slings, 1/2 full length, and 2 ropes to rappel. Double ropes are handy on the lead. Bring webbing and backup gear to rig the rap anchor.