Leviathan

Despite it's roadside location and a plethora of bolts, Leviathan isn't purely a sport climb. The route requires basic route finding skills, solid traditional gear knowledge, and the ability to safely navigate loose rock in exposed terrain on the descent. It is more akin to an alpine adventure-route with bolts. The climbing itself is well protected as it snakes upward on good (especially for Wolverine Canyon) and highly featured limestone. If you enjoy adventure routes, Leviathan won't disappoint!

P1 - 30m. 5.7. 8 bolts + gear. P1 begins 50' left of the main gully that cuts through the cliff below Wolverine Tower. An easy scramble to a ledge 25' up and a single bolt anchor mark the beginning of the pitch. Follow bolts to a thin finger crack and pods that offer good cam placements. Finish with two bolts up a final headwall. Belay from two bolts just above the cliff.

P2 - 35m. 5.9+. 8 bolts + gear. From the top of P1, walk 100 yards to the right on a big bench, passing a rubble-strewn chute splitting the cliff above. This chute is the descent from the top of the route. Just past the chute, P2 begins in an obvious dog-leg chimney/groove with a tree where the groove widens into a gully. Climb the groovy groove, utilizing good, but not overly obvious gear placements in the crack at the back of the groove. Continue past the tree and up the easy gully for about 35'. You will then encounter a line of bolts leading out of the gully directly up a steep slab with super fun movement on chert edges and knobs. Belay from a bolted ring anchor in a big comfy pod at the top of the pitch. 

P3 - 35m. 5.8. 9 bolts + gear. Climb excellent and featured stone, clipping two bolts followed by a few good cam placements, then continue on bolts up fantastic, highly featured limestone to a bolted ring anchor belay. 

P4 - 45m. 5.6. 3 bolts + gear. Begin with 3 bolts protecting fun face climbing to reach a crack system. Continue to the summit by staying on the crest of the rib while using nuts and cams to protect easy climbing. Belay from a bolted ring anchor at the top of the tower next to a small juniper tree. 

**On p4, you will pass a bolted belay with quick-links about 10m above the 3rd bolt - this is the upper most anchor for the winter mixed route, The Joy Trip. Take note of it's location. If rappelling Leviathan from the top of p4 on a single 70m rope, you will need to use this Joy Trip anchor when descending; then make a short rappel to the ring anchor at the top of p3.

Descent - The preferred method - from the top of the tower via the bolted ring anchor, a 20m rappel to the northwest will put you at the top of an obvious gully with a large juniper tree and big boulder. Walk/scramble down the gully, following the path of least resistance to reach the big bench at the beginning of P2. From this bench, rappel 30m via a bolted ring anchor on a rock slab approx 100' to the east of Leviathan p2 - a short down scramble is required to reach the anchor on the west side of two side-by-side trees. One can also rappel the entire route but this is more time consuming and may congest belay stations when other climbers are on route.

Leviathan begins on the cliff below Wolverine Tower, about 50' to climbers left of the most obvious scree gully splitting the cliff below the tower. Scramble about 25' up easy 3rd/4th class to reach a wide ledge. Look for a single bolt belay to the left of a lone juniper tree on the right side of the the ledge system. The bolts may be difficult to see from below as they are camouflaged grey to reduce visual impact. P2, P3 and P4 ascend the southwest slab to the right of the SW Slab route. 

70m rope. 12 quickdraws. 4 alpine runners. A set of cams to 3". Double up on small cams if you like having more options. A few medium/large nuts if that's your thing!