[Hide Comment] I'm almost wondering if you missed something...maybe you climb a varation???
No mention of the Afro/Cuban flakes? That pitch is at least 5.11c and not mentioned.... This description is off. Aug 25, 2008

[Hide Comment] J. Thompson-

I definitely missed something. Initially I only had time to post up to P11 and decided to come back to it when I had more time. Now the description is accurate, complete, and up to date. Thanks for the concern. Aug 27, 2008

[Hide Comment] ...or just freesolo it climbingnarc.com/2011/10/al… 60 Minutes Video climbingnarc.com/2011/10/al… Oct 3, 2011

[Hide Comment] Would love to see a legit description of this route if anyone has got one. Jun 12, 2012

[Hide Comment] Did this route on Jul 31 2012. Fantastic climb. I found the description by Stember to be basically accurate.

The left of two belay bolts at belay 6 (top of .11b/c layback) was loose. It is a new good bolt (rawl 3/8) and I was able to tighten it a bit by hand, but somebody needs to take a wrench and snug it up a bit. Aug 4, 2012

[Hide Comment] Good TR and route description here: dreaminvertical.com/2011/11… Feb 12, 2013

[Hide Comment] I did this route this last weekend and thought it was awesome. The approach to the first pitch is ambiguous and the descent is involved, but the climbing makes it worth it. I ended up leading every pitch. The cruxes are bouldery and not super sustained. I thought the pitch below the Afro-Cuban flakes was the crux, as it is the most sustained bit of climbing (the actual moves over the roof aren't too bad, but you have to continue on through 5.10d climbing above). Pulling over the AC flakes isn't that bad and there are good right handholds on the face you can crimp while your left hand is in the crack. Lots of fixed pins, gear is good at the cruxes and the pitches go pretty fast. May 20, 2013

[Hide Comment] I was expecting something a bit better of this route. Worst approach in the valley (including almost an hour of roped scrambling in our hiking shoes through munge), worst descent in the valley, and tons of mank on the climb including probably over a hundred old rusty pins, many with cracked eyes.

The two belays below and above the 11a pitch are the worst/most cramped belays I've ever hung on/stemmed through. The one below has a nice pedestal, but the only bolt is at your ankle level if you stand on it and the crack is too far to the side. The pin is gone, but you can back up the bolt with a #1 cam (don't leave the #2 here, since it's nice to have 2 hand-size pieces for the wyde). The belay at the top of the 11a pitch is a nice new pair of bolts that were placed 4 feet shy of the small stance and the original manchor that is still there consisting of 3 pins and an ancient tattered sling.

A note on the approach. I've tried 3 different options. The best way to go is if you identify a very polished and clean-looking OW that is about 60 feet below the start of Steak-Salad. Start a little higher than that by hiking up the sandy slope up to the big tree for 20 feet, then scramble up and back left aiming toward the top of the said polished OW, that at it's top turns into an easy gully. You end up climbing up a mossy 5.5 handcrack to a ramp with the tree at its top, then slide down into the gully or campus the edge of the ramp around the tree. That will get you to the bolted anchor that is mentioned in the nice approach topo that someone posted.

Go light on the rack, just bring 15 draws for all the pins. I kept running short on them with 12. Singles from green alien to #3, with the second #1 and #2 camalots will get you to the top if you are into a minimalist rack. Leave the stoppers in the trunk. If you find my 0.5 cam on the approach - congratulations! Oct 14, 2014

[Hide Comment] Well, you can't please everybody. This route is a Yosemite Classic testing the fledgling Big Wall climber with a myriad of free and aid challenges...but if you are solid 5.11/12 leader looking for a great free route in the Astroman/Rostrum mold you will be disappointed.

Still a great Yosemite challenge (there is no 5th class on the approach or you are doing it wrong) with a full day or two in a real "mountain" atmosphere.

Ask me to tell you about the 2 days I spent on the bivy ledge with a concussed partner, verglas making rappelling impossible and ice sheets raining down.

Then we topped out. Feb 21, 2017

[Hide Comment] Long approach, wonderful route. Good rock and varied pitches. I would repeat this route with pleasure.

Approach: Same as Steck-Salathe until you hit the sandy slope. For Steck you go all the way up the slope then trend right under the wall. For C-H go a bit up the slope and keep your eyes peeled up and left for a chimney/trough feature that is about 100ft tall. It shows obvious wear on the rock of being climbed. Go up this at ~5.6 with some loose mangy rock. Then ascend 4th class cracks/ledges for a bit. Go up an easy 5th slab trough feature. Above this we found fixed hand lines to ascend. At this point you can easily ID the pillar and 5.7 ledgy start to the climb.

Mainly, find the trough/chimney left side of sandy slope and then ascend whatever is most direct and easiest to base of route. It wasn't that difficult to figure out. It just takes a little while.

Descent: Go off summit weaving through manzanita tunnels directly to saddle behind sentinel. Descend lowest point of saddle to the left/East into gully. Hang skiers right down the gully weaving through trees midway then leave trees back into gully when obvious and slowly trend to middle of gully as you near the creek.

At creek find easiest way to cross then hang left towards valley floor. At this point you will be on a series of slabs. Weave down the slabs staying about dead center between both creeks. Don't be swayed by easy looking options far left or right, they lead to bullshit. You are aiming for a patch of trees in the middle of the slabs. Eventually do a 20ft ish 4th down climb then go down and skiers left on obvious dirt trail which goes behind a large tree then to a 3rd class dirty trough. Once down the trough the route finding trickery is mostly over. Head down and skiers left on whatever is easiest eventually trending around the face of the Sentinel and meeting back up with the approach climbers trail.

There are numerous ways to descend, but this is the fastest/easiest way I've found.

Go get it! It's a wonderful free climb. Jun 14, 2017

[Hide Comment] This route is a fantastic valley adventure. We did it BITD, with just a vague paper topo. Approach is fun, and easy. We didn't rope until the first pitch of the climb. Raced up it, and were back in camp drinking beers by 3p. What a climb! Jun 7, 2019

[Hide Comment] Maybe I missed something but if you want to protect the P6 crux beyond the pins clipable from the slab then you would definitely need cams in the BD .1-.2 range or nuts. The crux is 20ft long and the pins would only keep you from the slab on the first two moves. Nov 2, 2020

[Hide Comment] Some corrections to the Sloan guide...
>At the top of the long 5.9 pitch there is only one bolt and it's awkwardly below the pinnacle you want to stand on. A #1 to the right seems best to back it up
>There were 2 pins over the lip of the AC flakes which made moving through the crux nice (book shows nothing)
>The top of the AC flakes pitch has a good bolt and piton for your anchor (book shows nothing) Oct 3, 2022

[Hide Comment] #0/0.1 & Black/Blue Totems very helpful on P6 11c/C1 crux. My first time attempting either .11c/C1 (Tough, though YMMV).
Sloan has marketed this as cruiser aid climbing (for 5.9 climbers) on "clip-able fixed gear every body length", but he must have been referencing the Afro-Cuban flakes because P6 necessitates thin pieces to be aided or (realistically) protected after the first couple of moves (like Michael has commented above). Additionally, not sure what others remember, but one #3 gives the "5.8" (you decide how many '+'s) off-width a little habanero kick to boot..For those that don't mind peace of mind in wide cracks, another #3 or #4 would render a more jalapeño-style experience.

On another note, I ended up on a crazy adventure bail mission last July requiring the Sentinel's version of the King Swing to get down on rappel... I'll never forget tripping over myself and repeatedly sprinting across the moonlit granite slab, in effort to gain just a few more inches to narrowly grab my partner, awaiting ropeless at the top of P6. Beautiful, emerald-green spirits, contrasted in the night's sky, swimmingly greeted me upon my safe return atop Chessman pinnacle, the end of my impromptu learning experience mostly concluded.
Still, I remain inspired & enthusiastic to return to this remarkable route ;)
Alas, it is Grade IV for a reason, for it is one of those historic routes that evokes an adventurous atmosphere when climbing past pitons left from the (first?) ascent(s) in the seemingly-distant past.

"I started climbing when men were men... and we nailed 5.8" --TM Herbert (excerpted from Sloan)

Go take a walk on the wild side and join Yvonne, Herbert, Long, et. al, and many others in spirit on this incredible rock! May 4, 2023

[Hide Comment] Had to climb this one various times before we did it free. Some part of it was always soaking wet. Then it wasn't and we did it. Fine location for the crux pitch. Big wall vibe pulling over that roof on finger locks. FFA not with Minks and Erricson, but with Englishman Pete Livesey. May 20, 2025