Shades of Gray

The name refers to the color of the rock and to the ethics used to establish the line. For full disclosure, there's a good bit of glue on this one to keep just enough holds on the wall to make in climbable. Nevertheless, the route climbs very well with multiple cruxes on cool angles of rock. Bolted in 2012, this route was an open project until Mike Patz sent in July of 2018.

Start a good bit right of the first bolt on some left-facing flakes, and climb up into and out of the dihedral to a conspicuous hole at bolt four. Make strange tension moves on non-holds out of the hole and into the first crux on the white face to establish below the steep prow. From the chockstone jug (you'll see what I mean), embark on a long stretch of difficult sidepulls and slopers out the prow, finishing with a Hail Mary deadpoint to a flat hold on the headwall. Continue up the headwall on better holds to the anchor.

This route requires very dry conditions as a key crimp in the first crux seeps most of the year. Otherwise, it is a proud and difficulty line.

Shades of Gray begins about 30 feet left of the

Track Team

arete. The line is just left of the mungy project with a faded red tag and two draws in wet rock, but one begins climbing almost directly below the first bolt of that line.

11 bolts and anchors. There is a mandatory stick clip for the high first bolt. Several other bolts are placed in somewhat inconvenient locations to maximize rock quality, so pre-hung longer draws will help in spots. One will almost certainly skip at least one bolt on the upper prow.