Pfizer

Overview

Good protection, interesting climbing, quality rock, cool position, and unique location make "Pfizer" a great climb for those seeking some adventure down the middle fork.  The route dries out pretty quickly but give it a few days after sustained rainfall (this is mostly just so the very bottom and the p2 crux can dry out).

I would categorize the route as "punchy".  That is to say, while never dangerous, the leader should feel comfortable with a bit more space between bolts at times (think Darrington or Smith Rock).  When the climbing is its hardest there are a lot of bolts.  When the climbing is more moderate things are a little more spaced out.  This is largely because hand drilling was done during development.  This might not be the best route to be pushing into the 5.10s on.

Pitch Breakdown

Pitch 1 (~30m) 5.10a - bolts and gear

Off the ledge, climb up through the first two bolts (5.10), step right and continue up the (easier)  cracks placing gear until standing atop a small ledge.  Commit to a high foot (b) and enjoy climbing positive side-pull/laybacks (more bolts) culminating in a step to the right.   Commit to some additional low angle moves to a crimp (b) and then step back left and up to the anchor atop a good ledge.

Pitch 2 (~20m) 5.10b/c - bolts

From the anchor climb up through lower angle 5.9 face/slab.  The climbing eases off to some nice jugs which are followed trending right.  Take care to use slings on the bolts here to reduce drag.  The jugs end below a small shallow bulge, smear your way up below the bulge, step left to a weakness, pull the bulge to gain some good holds.  Traverse back right on some crimps and smeary feet to enjoy the cool wavy granite (straight up) which increases in difficulty until a crux is found just below a more prominent roof with a bush in it.   Pull through the crux to gain good holds under the roof and traverse back left to an anchor.

Pitch 3 (~15m) 5.9 - bolts

From the anchor, continue left (b) then step back right through a weakness in the roof (b) and continue up past a chalkstone and into a biggish corner.   Climb up the corner a bit the reach out around the right side to more bolts, pull around and smear/layback your way to the next anchor.

Pitch 4 (~35m) 5.5 - bolts

Continue straight up from the anchor on easy low angle rock to a weakness in the wall above.  Clip a bolt and step left.  Continue up and you will see a low angle grassy ramp on the right - trend LEFT instead, climbing clean easy rock (b) then heading straight up to a tree with a sling and quicklink.  On the first ascent this pitch was link with p3.

Descent

Top out, then continue through the woods climbers left a short distance until the Stegasaurus Butte trail is found.  Follow this trail back to the parking.  Alternatively, you could rappel the route with a 70m rope but this might not be recommended given the nature of the base approach.

While the climbing is pretty straight forward (as well as the descent), getting to the base of the route may be challenging for those not used to off trail travel.  The approach isn't *long* there just isn't really a trail once you've left the Rainy Lake Trail.   Crossing the creek in the right place is key and I will add a map and some gps coordinates to my description to help.

Start at the Middle Fork Trailhead, cross the bridge and head right, down the Pratt Connector Trail.  After a second bridge is crossed hang a left on to the Rainy Lake trail, follow this for 0.53 miles, eventually leaving the trail to the left (off trail) to cross Rainy Creek on a big log at coord (47.539152, -121.532669).  

After crossing the log hike up the bank.  Head east/south-east (right) for ~30 yards to pick up a *very* overgrown logging road, follow this for a few hundred yards east/north-east (left) until two big crossed logs are seen off to your right in the forest.   Turn north (left) through the moss, hiking uphill towards some slabs, at the base of the slabs head west eventually reaching a talus field.  Go directly across the talus field and when it ends head straight uphill (north) through the forest crossing under a huge log.  At the top of this slope you will run into larger cliffs where the route is located, to get to the official start of the climb a 20ft corner of low 5th must be climbed to gain a ledge on the (climbers) left hand side of the drainage.  There may be a fixed line here.  Once on the ledge, traverse left and find bolts on the wall signifying the start of the route (47.5407, -121.5308). 

Time to base: 1hr