Type A Woodpecker

Type A Woodpecker is a rather enjoyable, long moderate trad route. It shares some climbing with DH-20. Other than the first pitch, which can be bypassed with the 5.5 DH 20 start, the 5.10 climbing is short-lived.

Pitch 1 — 5.10a —  This is the insecure, sustained, and mental crux. From the ground, start up a somewhat flared crack. It should also be noted there is also an old bolt stub (not ours) ~12-15 feet off the ground to the left of the crack; I think this is from the original start of the DH-20 crack? Careful footwork leads to a short OW section before reaching a ledge. Belay off finger-sized gear. Keep in mind you have to carefully work for good gear on this pitch. 50 feet.

Pitch 2 — 5.9 — Begin this pitch as you would for DH-20. Climb up 20-30 feet, but instead of climbing DH-20 on the left, continue right up the chimney/wide crack for an additional 130 feet to a good ledge at the top of chimney. Good stemming keeps the OW technique at a minimum. Also, this pitch eats up large gear and has a section of some runout climbing. 150 feet.

Pitch 3 — 5.0 — Scamper up the gully to where the wall gets steeper. 100 feet.

Pitch 4 — 5.7 — This pitch can be combined with pitch 3. From the steepening headwall, climb on good rock to the bolted anchor at the top of Paradise in Purgatory's 5th pitch. 70 feet.

Pitch 5 — 5.7 — From the bolted anchor, continue climbing up the crack system to the left of the bolts on Paradise in Purgatory's 6th pitch to another good belay ledge. 80 feet.

Pitch 6 — 5.10b — Look for the obvious splitter up a short headwall. Scramble up to the splitter and make some interesting face moves to enter the crack (a #6 cam protects this section well). Jam through the headwall and motor up easier wide crack (5.4) to the top of the wall. 160 feet.

Either rappel Paradise in Purgatory in 7 rappels with a 70m rope (please note a 60m rope will NOT work for rappelling from the top of Paradise in Purgatory) or scramble up the hill and intersect the Emerald Trail and hike down.

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This is located on the north side of Devil's Head Rock.

Nuts, 2X BD C4 #0.4-4, and single #5 & #6. Some might want to consider triple #3s or double #6s.