Stark Options

A worthy investment. Pretty good route with some nice sections; wanders a little and has a few route-finding variations / decisions to make. 

Situated on the left side of Angel Food Wall, right of Glass Elevator and left of Sandy Hole. Locate a prominent pink pillar with a large rectangular block on its top that is 30 feet left of Sandy Hole. Start at a crack in yellow rock behind this pillar. It's a little easier getting up behind the pillar from its right side.

P1 (5.7 100') Shimmy up the crack in yellow rock. A fair pitch on rock that threatens to be friable but turns out fine. Finish through a bush and turn left to belay at a large pine tree.

P2 (5.7 120') Head uphill from the pine tree through bushes to the base of a rock buttress with a chimney system splitting it. Pull onto the toe of this buttress, then work over a bulge in the chimney (5.7 moves with adequate protection). Swim up the remaining chimney corridor on easier rock for 70-feet to a nice belay ledge. 

    P2 variation: we tried a couple of lines out left that weren't as nice as the recommended pitch described above. 

P3 (5.8 140') Ignore the tempting crack system heading up the corner from the belay (it's ok but is best left for a yet to be climbed route that continues up above it). Instead walk straight left 15 feet and step into that crack system (you may want to relocate the belay left before starting this pitch). Climb this wide crack / chimney for 30 feet until it comes to a horizontal ledge system. Angle straight left at this ledge system for 10 feet to another crack. The entry moves onto this excellent 2nd crack are probably 5.8, but it protects well and gets easier as you ascend. Continue up this pleasant crack for 50 feet to a choice of belay stances, preferably higher up left on top of the pedestal if rope drag isn't a problem. 

P4 (5.7 PG-13 90') Wander up the face straight above the belay ledge. About 90 feet up is a small ledge with cracks that offers a workable belay stance. If you pick your way judiciously up this face you can keep the climbing to a few 5.7 moves with PG-13 protection.

P5 (5.6 120') Continue up the face. It looks intimidating but if you make the right choices this last pitch can be fairly well protected, not too difficult, and enjoyable with great exposure. Having said that, you may encounter a few short 'exciting' section that require commitment and caution. The best path may zig and zag a little but probably angles slightly to the right overall. 

Descent: from the top of the last pitch follow ramps up left and then work you way back (west) into the regular Angel Food Wall descent gully.

Tips: the 1st and 2nd pitches may involve some chimney moves, so leaving packs at the bottom wouldn't be a terrible idea (consider stashing them at or below the base of the pink pillar). It's not too difficult to follow the access trail out of the descent gully left back to the base of this climb.

Between Glass Elevator and Sandy Hole. 

Cams and stoppers to 3-inches.