Xiphoid Process

This route may be the easiest way to get onto Long Rib proper from the north, after bypassing some false summits and razor thin ridgleline on the lower several hundred feet of Long Rib. There is at least one viable alternative to P1, and probably several more. Evidence exists of past climbing here, in the form of a section of large diameter, very old rope around the base of a large Ponderosa Pine tree at the end of the route. This particular tree provides a convenient landmark for locating the climb, which ends at what can roughly be considered the center of the Rib Cage (hence the route name). The “first known ascent” was by Michael Briseno (lead) and Drew Chojnowski on 2016-12-13. The "first known ascent" of the harder P1 alternative was by Pat Gioannini (lead), Marta Reece, and Drew Chojnowski on 2017-02-04.

P1 Normal (5.7, 150ft): Start by climbing up the middle of a small gully for 20-30 feet, and then traverse left along a crack (5.5). From here, walk ahead slightly right 20 feet or so on a non-technical ledge and then climb up a chimney-like feature to the left. Once in the last comfortable standing spot in this chimney, reach out to the right and traverse on good holds through a short overhang, and then pull up onto a slab to the right (crux). Climb up the slab directly toward the tree, where we've added some modern webbing and a rap ring. Note the ancient rope segment wrapped around the base of the tree.

P1 Alternative (5.9, 150ft): Skip the non-technical ledge mentioned above and stay on the rock to the left of the normal P1. The crux is a short but steep left-leaning fist crack about halfway through the pitch.

P2 (5.6, 150ft): from the large Ponderosa Pine, climb onto Long Rib either to the right or slightly to the left and stay on the ridgeline until the angle eases and you reach a high point of sorts. Look down and choose one of several large cracks (have some #2-3 Camalots) to build a comfortable, sitting belay station.

Due to the fact that the next several hundred feet of Long Rib appear to be mostly non-technical ground, the route currently ends here.

Take the approach for False Rib, and either climb it first or go around it and up the gully on the north side of Long Rib. Once in the gully near the giant boulder that was probably once a section of the Broken Rib ridge, identify the large tree on Long Rib (largest living tree on Long Rib) and head for it, inevitably doing some 3rd class scrambling and a bit of bushwacking on the way.

The pine tree at the top of P1 can be used for rappel, but a good way to back there from the top of P2 remains to be determined (we hung up a rope). The best thing to do is either continue up Long Rib, or downclimb a bit to the south toward viable trees, and rapping into the south gully.

Some bigger cams (#2-4 Camalot) are useful for protecting the crux move on both variations of P1, and small cams subsequently come in handy on normal P1. There are no known bolts in the Rib Cage, so bring plenty of webbing.