Elephant Graveyard

This route is a wall route and the FA was done in wall style complete with portaledge and haulbag.  The first half of pitch 1 was climbed before by an unknown party but above that the FA party could find no trace of a previous ascent.  Overall it mostly follows natural lines with the exception of pitch 5's roof and blank face.  This route makes a great choice for those hot summer days as it is in the shade from 9am until about 5pm and usually has a breeze.  It could be done in a single day by a competent party although most parties would split it into 2 days.  A logical choice might be to break it in half and fix ropes so you sleep on the ground.  This would require less gear to haul in.  You can fix a single 60m line straight down from the top of pitch 3 to the top of pitch 1.  So with 2 ropes you can fix from top of 3 to the ground.  If you do haul the bottom pitches are a bit slabby, although straightforward except for pitch 3.  If hauling pitch 3 make sure to flip your haul line over the top of the triangular tower so the haul line is on the outside...you then have to lower the bags out about 60-70ft.  

The route is mostly a great beginner/intermediate aid line.  The exception is pitch 6 which requires a fair bit of nailing and a good eye for small gear and beaks.  The route was first discussed as a way to train for big wall climbing locally.  In the end that idea is true however it is probably not the best 1st wall for the budding aid climber.  If you can climb Elephant Graveyard then you would be fine to step up to Zodiac or similar on El Cap from a technical perspective.  This is definitely a great route to work on systems and logistics and the climbing itself is good fun as well.  The upper 2 pitches are steep and anyone jugging or rapping is doing so in space 600ft off the ground!

Pitch Description

Pitch 1 - Climb a shallow dihedral just right of the main left facing corner system in the center of the wall (not the arching Left facing corner on the far left end of the wall).  After 30m of easy C1 climbing pass a couple of older anchor bolts from a previous party.  Continue up another 20m passing a flared chimney (C1 awk) to reach a small ledge with 2 bolts.  Just before the flared chimney the crack pinches down and a beak keeps things relaxed. 50m, A1 or C2.

Pitch 2 - Follow the crack up directly above the bolts.  In a few meters it gets cleaner and cuts off diagonally up and left with great gear.  Reach a large comfy ledge at about mid pitch.  From here some nailing and small cams get you through the face to the left trending roof feature.  A crux step around a corner/arete leads to easier climbing through a chimney to a 2 bolt anchor on the left.  45m, A2

Pitch 3 - Step right back into the corner/flare.  A few awkward moves get you through to a low 5th class ramp.  Climb up this to the apex behind the triangular tower.  Then down the other side to a nice ledge with 2 bolts.  25m, C1 and low 5th class

Pitch 4 - From the belay step around the corner to the right and down to a ledge.  Then follow the main corner system up through a roof feature and into a small alcove.  There is a nice step right here, then up another 20ft before breaking right at a horizontal into the next corner system.  Follow this all the way up to the top of the 2nd tower for a comfy belay at 3 bolts.  This pitch sounds confusing but just climb up and it is obvious when to step right.  You can see the tower where you need to get to the entire time.  30m, C1

Pitch 5 - From the top of the tower make an airy step out left to a bolt just above the roof (long reach).  Two more bolts and then 2 rivets bring you to a nailing crack.  Beaks/pins and small cams lead up and left following the crack.  Finally step up onto the sloping ledge (rivet helpful) and clip the bolt.  Then follow the rivet ladder up across the face (1 bolt midway).  Step off the end of the rivet ladder into the corner system and then follow this back left to the anchor, 2 bolts.  30m, A2

Pitch 6 - Clip the fixed LA and follow the roof traversing right.  Thin nailing and a camhook get you to a rivet.  Make a big blind reach to the crack above.  Then wild exposed climbing traverses left on pins and small cams (plus 1 rivet).  From the end of the crack step up into the thin seams on the orange headwall.  Many beaks and 3 rivets bring you to a bolt at the end of the seams.  From here step up through 2 rivets to the 2 bolt anchor at the top just below the lip.  You could step up and over the lip to get off/sign the summit register but it would be recommended to rappel the route. 20m, A2+ sustained

Descent

Best would be to rappel the route/face.  A double rope rap from the top of the route will get you to the triangular tower at the base of pitch 5.  Make sure to leave an end of your line fixed at the bottom of pitch 5 so you can get back in....otherwise you are stuck out in space! From here another double rope rap will bring you to a set of anchor bolts not on route.  They are on the right on a steep face above a nice ledge 50m straight down.  One more double rope rappel brings you to the bolts you passed halfway through pitch 1.  From here a single rope gets you the 30m back to the ground.  

Alternatively from the bottom of pitch 5 rap 30m back to the bottom of pitch 4 (you have to swing a bit left to reach the anchor).  Then a double rappel straight down brings you to the top of pitch 1.  Finally one more double rope rappel leads to the ground.  

This route splits the middle of the north face.  It starts in a shallow dihedral just right of the obvious left facing corner.  The route goes to both obvious triangular towers partway up the wall and finishes on the steep orange streaked headwall at the very top.

This is an aid wall route and was done with a large wall rack. The suggested rack below should get most parties through but it does mean back cleaning some.

Cams - double rack from grey metolius/purple C3 through BD #3 with triples in red C3 to BD .75 Single #4 and double set of offset cams .2-.5 range. On the 4th pitch if you don't want to back clean much then bring an extra #3 and #4. A #5 would get placed in pitches 1 and 4 but isn't needed...the FA party did not have one.

Nuts - Full set of regular and brass offsets.

Iron - Beaks 10-12 (even ish split of #1, #2, and #3.). The most used was a Moses Tomahawk #2....the #1s are for the upper orange headwall seams. Knifeblades 3-4, Lost Arrows 3-4, Angles 1 baby.

Other specialty - 10 rivet hangers (mix of cinch and keyhole), 20-22 draws (6-8 quickdraws rest alpine), 1 black tri-cam was used in pitch 6 (could probably place something else but it might not be as bomber).  Cam hooks should be considered mandatory.  Other assorted hooks could be useful.