Cloudbeams

A three-pitch moderate route on the far eastern edge of Lookout Point. Fairly non-intimidating (low angle, big holds,  plentiful gear, and easy escapes to nearby gully), so probably a good beginner multipitch experience. 

The route goes into the shade in the afternoon, so it can be a relatively cool outing on hot days. Also, the first two pitches tend to dry quickly after rain.

As it it new, leaders in the first parties on it should probably bring a nut tool to scrape dust & debris out of some placements. Each pitch described below has several possible variations.  

p1 (5.5): Start with some slightly left-trending face to reach a low-angle ramp at the base of a right-facing corner. Jam, layback, or face climb up this corner, which is the crux of the pitch. The crack bends up left while simultaneously becoming a blocky rib. Enjoy grabbing jug after jug on this section, and practice placing nuts (lots of excellent slots). Stay on the left side of the rib. At the ledge on top of the rib, clip the bolt and traverse up and left on a rail to join a jumble of flakes that become the Jolly Pockets ledge. Belay on the right side, closest to the gully. 60m to 65m

p2 (~5.5-5.8): Go up the splitter crack ( ~5.5) then friction right at the bulge. Overcome the bulge on the right side, then trend up and left to an anchor. (For the bulge, if you go all the way to the right, then you are going around it, making it 4th class. But if you go over at the crack, it is harder than 5.5, probably about 5.7 to 5.8.)

p3 (~5.5): Not the prettiest pitch, but it gets you to the top. For this pitch, you have to cross a groove-gully of poor-quality rock near the start. But if you go up first on solid, but easy, slab to the roof and then go right, you can essentially step over the bad section on a ramp. (Avoid the temptation to instead go directly right from the belay or you'll face the sketchy rock.)  Once on the ramp, you have a choice of two cracks. Both take you to a sloping ledge below a roofy section. Avoid the roofy section (if you want, or take the obvious hand crack through it) by going left to the anchor then up on stacked flakes to a steep ramp going up and right, above the roofy section. There is an anchor just above, but to reach the top, go right and up the ramp to the apex. There is sometimes a handline coming down this ramp.  The belay is just over the apex. The handline takes you to the summit pine forest and flagpole.

Descent

Parties frequently get their rope stuck in a crack when rappelling pitch 2. Walking off down the gully is faster and easier, especially on a busy weekend. 

Follow the trail along the base of LO Point to nearly the point where it goes left up the gully. About 20-30 feet before this point look up. A log provides a seat if needed. 

Wired stoppers to 3" cams. On the last pitch, one larger 4" cam could be useful, though not necessary. Also, one can instead take different finishes to avoid the wide crack.