Type: Trad, 500 ft (152 m), 6 pitches, Grade III
FA: First pitch is unknown. Remaining pitches: Schmidt, Bowman, McGivern, and Sassara. 1984
Page Views: 12,763 total · 67/month
Shared By: Luke to Zuke on Jul 18, 2008 · Updates
Admins: L. Von Dommelheimer

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Description Suggest change

This route is the gem of Archangel Valley if offers great climbing into the 5.10 range. It begins on the right side of the diamond feature directly across from the American Alpine Club outhouse.

The climb begins at the Steve Garvey memorial plaque on the right side of the diamond, although variations exist.

Pitch 1: 5.7. Follow the crack system up and slightly left to a bolted belay. Gear to 3-4 inches will be plenty.

Pitch 2: 5.7 From the anchor move right and clip a piton, follow the crack system upwards to mossy ledge with a bolted anchor, climb past the anchor following a wide crack on the left hand side, continue upwards through a clean splitter crack to a bolted anchor on the top of the diamond. Gear to 3 inches. A walk off exists here. Follow the grassy ramp right to the base of the climb.

Pitch 3: 5.8. Walk to a single bolt at the base of a slab, follow the slab placing gear and clipping bolts until on the arete. Follow the arete passing bolts and gear, continue up and left over dirty moss and grass, to a ledge with a two bolt anchor. gear to 3 inches.

Pitch 4: 5.9. From the anchor climb the beautiful but sadly short corner, top out onto the slab and climb right to an anchor. Gear to 1 inch.

Pitch 4a: 5.10a. This pitch is a variation. Climb right to a small ledge to a wide crack. Clip a bolt that is in an odd spot then muscle your way through the chicken wings. 5.10a, gear to 5 inches, although a 6in cam would be nice to have for the top.

Pitch 5: 5.10. This pitch, like the last one, is excellent. From the anchor scramble to the base of the crack, and climb the wide, steep corner. There is a piton at the top of the corner. Move left into small cracks, and climb over bulges, on the left side of the formation, pass a bolt or two to the anchor. Gear to about 4 inches. There is also a variation here that climbs the face to the left of the crack, there are some bolts, although I haven't climbed it.

Pitch 5a: 5.9. Move your belay to one one of the blocks, at the far right of the buttress look for a very odd, but seemly bomber bolt. Clip and step around the corner to a crack. Climb good fingers to thin hands to a weird anchor.

Pitch 6: Easy Class 5, to 5.10. This pitch is the least often climbed on the route. Multiple variations to top out exist. To climb the original route, head up the choss. To climb a better pitch hike down and climb the 5.10, walk down to a gear anchor, climb a wide crack, and traverse under the roof passing a fixed pin, climb jugs to a bolt. Clip the bolt and make the crux move, keep your mind in check and climb past 2 more bolts a pin, some slung blocks on thin, hard to protect moves. 5.10 Variation put up by Zach Schlosar. 

Rappel the entire route on one 60m rope.

Location Suggest change

This climb is on right side of the diamond formation. There are various possible starts to the route. The route begins just to the left of the Steve Garvey memorial plaque.

Protection Suggest change

Gear to 4 or 5 inches

Photos

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