The Pilgrimage

The Pilgrimage is a Cathedral Park classic with two notable stellar, long pitches, good rock, and good pro. The view at the top is spectacular as this is the highest formation at Cathedral Park. The Pilgrimage goes from the bottom to the top of the formation using the best features the big face has to offer.

P1 (5.9, 30m). This is an excellent crack pitch. Begin below the winding hand crack near the middle of the huge slab face on the west side of The Monastery. Follow the crack using good jams and gear to where it ends on a ledge. Belay here.

P2 (5.7, 35m). Continue climber's right across a short ledge and up an easy slanting crack. Gain the major ledge system above. Continue climber's right and then up slightly aiming to belay under the large chimney/crack system inside the huge, left-facing rock arete which constitutes P3. You should be able to spot the single bolt protecting the short wall below the main chimney/crack system of P3. Make a trad belay below this. P2 can be broken up into two pitches if desired.

P3 (5.9+, 30m). Start up the short wall below the massive chimney system on surprisingly large holds. Clip the single bolt which keeps you off the deck, and gain the ledge below the chimney. Enter the chimney which begins easy but quickly closes down to a hand crack. Use your #5 cam to protect the traverse out of the chimney. Belay at the next ledge system.

P4 (5.5, 15m). From the belay, walk an easy traverse directly climber's left of the belay and look for an easy, low angle crack on your right. Ascend the crack to the summit. Note: you can go directly up from the P3 belay to the summit, but it is a bombay offwidth that is likely around 5.11. Also of note: do not take the crack around to climber's right of the P3 belay. It looks enticing, but it dead ends into unprotected 5.11+ face climbing. Sign the summit register!

Descent: do 2 rappels off the south end of the formation to the ground. From the rock cairn on the summit, look west, and enter a chimney feature in the middle of the summit ledge (unexposed 3rd Class). Scramble down and then climber's right (per Tom Gibbons) for about 20 feet to the first bolted rappel station. Make one rappel with a single rope (a 60m rope SHOULD make these raps. Knot your ends! A single rap with a 70m rope makes it comfortably). Land on a ledge, and scramble downwards through a boulderfield (3rd Class). Spot another set of bolted rappel anchors on the climber's right. Rappel from here to the ground.

The Pilgrimage makes use of the best features on the west face of The Monastery. The rappel is on the south end of the formation.

Cams BD #0.3-#3 with a #5 cam recommended for the P3 crux. A #4 cam is not necessary. A set of nuts is optional.