Walk The Plank

Walk The Plank is a reasonably fun climb but a terrible warm-up.

The crux moves are the lower section, where what looks like good jams and locks are actually flaring, shallow, or slick. There is some gear to be had, but the crux is low enough to the ground that you still might hit it and high enough up that the consequences would not be trivial. The move into the next piece of gear is off of a brick-sized pinch that is cracked on all sides... so it is best to be certain of yourself on this one, perhaps warming up on the "harder" route that is fully bolted, just to the left.

Still, the climbing is interesting and moves pretty good.

This route is just to the right of 'Swab The Deck' on the lower tier of the Main Cliffs.

Walk right (South) along the lower tier passing several trad and sport routes, passing the obvious "Death Flake" route (you will know it when you see it) and then on to a 20' tall flat overhang that leans 15 degrees or so over. At the left of this is 'Swab The Deck' past 7 bolts in all, at the right, about 5 meters further is 'Walk the Plank.' The latter can be recognized by its starting crack which has a placement for an Alien (shallow, slightly flaring) then a #2 Camalot or #3 Friend (which takes up your good jam) before petering out, below the bottom of a shallow, left-facing dihedral that starts 20' off the ground. At he base of said dihedral, there is a placement for another Alien which is a but fussy and deep if you want it in good rock.

The good-looking would-be finger locks are not so great. Be ready.

Climb up from the right on a pinch to some gaston/compression moves past an Alien. If it holds a fall, you will only twist your ankles but not break your tailbone. So don't fall. Then go up and place that 2.5-3" cam, then go up and place another Alien. Now the gear is great, and you are pumped. I hope you warmed up. Pull awkward moves to get established in the corner, then reach up and right to clip the first of 3 bolts, and pull out of the corner right to the arete. Pass 2 more bolts total to climb 70' or so in all to the ledge.

A 24" diameter tree up on the ledge had a rope anchor we found chewed to shreds. This was replaced by a single cordalette which still needs a second strand or webbing and a rapid-link. This can protect both 'Swab TD; and 'Walk TP', so it deserves to be decent, but I lacked any more cord.

Rap from that anchor, or if you brought sufficient cord to sling the larger (30"+ dia) tree to the left, then sling that one, because rapping the corner below the tree to the South gets you closer than most would like with a rather aggressive juniper ("#metoo").

One set of cams from 0.3" to 3" and a few slings + 3 draws. Likewise, bring some cord or webbing to finish the restoration of the anchor.