Avg: 3.2 from 49
votes
Access Issue: All climbers must use existing rappel stations for descent.
Details
This is an exciting and exposed roof traverse with a fun roof pull on hero holds. Begin in the V-notch gully or just to the right. Continue up the arete until you are in a corner capped by a small roof, and under the roof is a thin crack. You should be above the large roof, but crunched in the corner below the small roof to start the traverse. Traverse right under the small roof following the major footholds and often hidden hands (crux). It is easy to get suckered into a bad spot if you aren't following the feet.
Continue traversing and placing small gear until the thin crack turns into a jug hand about 10' above the stance. To start the roof pull you should be in a ok stance at a small right facing corner/groove. Plug gear here and fire straight up through the jug hands. Make a few more moves up horizontals trending right slightly. Pull over the top and drop into a hole for a gear belay.
The real crux may be route and hold finding.
As you enter the upper tier's landing, continue straight and up the talus. Follow the talus under the roof and to the obvious v-gully that splits the two walls of the upper tier. Begin on either side of the v-gully. To find the rappel anchors, turn around from the belay and face north. Move to the cliff face in the direction of the viaduct. From here, scramble down and three sets of rap anchors can be seen. The easiest to reach from atop is the ones above Edge of a Dream, which are SS ring anchors. Avoid the old rusty set. A single 60m will get you up and down.
Single rack TCU's to #3 or #4 camalot with several shoulder slings. A single #3 or #4 is mandatory.
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Boone, NC
Decent gear along the way, pulling the V-notch in the beginning is a little unprotected but good gear awaits you the higher you go (be creative). Remember to protect the traverse well, if not for your own piece of mind, but for your second because this can be a heady climb to follow due to the massive traverse. Its a gear anchor at the top (found bomber placements for small C3's), so don't forget to bring extra.
I can't tell in the Beta photo if the climber is pulling the first roof crack or the second, but if you traverse about 3/4's of the way along the huge roof feature and pull the second obvious weakness the climbing is much easier. I want to say I heard the first roof crack is a 10/11 variation, who knows?!
- HIGH RECOMMENDATION*
Oct 27, 2011Charlotte, NC
Winston-Salem, NC
Quick note on the start: I started inside the right facing corner and climbed 12-15 feet up before finding some hidden holds and traversing left to the arete, then up to the stance from which you start the traverse. I gather that mostly people start on the face left of the arete, directly below Castaway, and head up from there. The dihedral start is worthwhile though, and gives you a preview of the fun/awkward/technical traverse moves to come. Jun 26, 2020