Vessels of Wrath

My passion project for 2023! This started in the spring when the nice geometry of the south face of Liberty Cap caught my eye and I got the gentle urge to go up there. There were several options but many of the lines looked dangerous because of the proximity of the hiking trail below. However, the right side of the wall seemed safe. A few friends signed on to the vision and dream. In a 24-hour push, Erik and I went ground up and established "Nebulous Crack," A2, 800'. Vessels of Wrath was climbed a couple weeks later, after recon from above, and more rational thinking. The first three pitches are shared with Nebulous. Excellent and unique climbing goes to a summit that is one of my favorites in the park. It's warm and sunny with many of the cracks shading themselves after 11 a.m. November and December are the best months to be up there.  

Pitch 1, 30m, 10d, Launch off a manzanita bush to a sloper rail and gain the crack. Look for good sidepulls up and right. Striking crack goes from fingers to hands to handstacks. Grab the tonsil that sounds hollow but is solid and move up and right to a ledge with two bolts. One is old and quarter-inch. I heard this pitch is called "Base Pinnacle" but I don't know about it's history. We didn't find signs of passage past this point. 

Pitch 2, 30m, 11d, Satan's Slab. Climb a flake to a perch on a slightly sandy hold. Clip the bolt and step into the void. At the time of writing, I haven't freed this pitch, but I've heard it helps to have shoes that are less than a week old, unless you're Cedar, in which case go ahead and wear blown out TC Pros and socks... Tenuous slab climbing leads to a shallow corner with tricky cam placements. 5.7 climbing leads from there to a stance with two bolts. 

Pitch 3, 35m, 11a, Make some face moves with marginal protection to a glorious double flake. Jam, lieback, or double-gaston your way up to the prominent rock scar with a thin hand crack in the back. Undercling your way out the roof, turn the corner, and proceed as far as rope drag will allow. There's a good ledge with options for a gear anchor. 

Pitch 4, 30m, 5.9 Move up and left through a couple of right facing corners to a 2-bolt anchor and a great view of the mega fifth pitch. 

Pitch 5, 45m, 5.11b Traverse left on surprisingly mellow terrain. Look around for sneaky placements. Climb a left facing corner on micro cams and nuts. Finally, jam and lieback up a pillar. Trad anchor takes mostly .3 and .4 cams. 

Pitch 6, 25m, 5.11c Climb a thin crack, clip a bolt and make a difficult slab move into the corner. Pull down, not out on the loose blocks! Micro cams help here. 5.10 liebacking leads to a comfy stance in a bowl. Gear anchor takes cams .75-2". 

Pitch 7, 40m, Exit climbing with multiple options, 5.9. We went left at the first bulge and then straight up. Climb the face when the crack gets bushy. Aim for the Jeffrey Pine.

Climb starts about 100 yards right of the prominent "O" on the south face of Liberty Cap. Look for the brown rock scar on pitch 3. Pass the toilet at the top of Nevada Falls, go to the first switchback, and make a bee-line for the wall. Some bushwhacking and a brief move of 5.1 climbing is involved in the approach.

Triples .00-1.5", doubles 2"-4", small off-set nuts