Black Sheep

A link-up/variation to both

SolArian

and

Cloak of the Wolf

that tackles the attractive OW in the

Cloak

-headwall. I have not climbed this variation, but the following route description is from my notes from Cassidy. This route is a serious undertaking. Expect run-outs, poor quality rock, and some questionable pro. none-the-less, its an adventurous line, and great vision from the FA team.

Start as for the

Cloak

for the first pitch to the grassy comfy foot ledge.

P2: 5.11+S. continue up the right facing, leaning, and overhanging finger crack dihedral (Sol follows the dihedral right of this). Reported from the FA that this pitch has pretty thin gear, and is strenuous awkward crux, where your feet drop out from under you. This joins up with the second half of P2 of

SolArian

above its crux. hanging belay with bolts. 105'

P3: 5.10+R. thin and flared finger crack as if you were starting P3 of

SolArian

. Instead of going to the A-frame roof, undercling/smear traverse straight left under the roof of the

Cloak

Go past its roof crux, to a crumbly left facing dihedral weakness in the roof and around the corner. Gear belay on a good ledge at the base of the wide crack. watch for drag. Apparently there is not good pro pulling through the roof and the rock is shite.

P4: 10+S. the headwall OW. though it looks stellar from the ground, this crack is apparently very sandy, crumbly, and flared with marginal to no pro through most of it. This leads to a small ledge, then a final 30' hand crack puts you on the summit shoulder.

Down climb to the anchors of the

Cloak

and rap. 3 raps with two 60m ropes. or two stretched raps with 70m ropes.

This is a variation to

Solarian

that tops out on the summit. See the approach info for the

Cloak of the Wolf

and

SolArian

.

About 17 draws/runners for P1. Plenty of thin stuff for P2 and P3, and perhaps some wide gear for the headwall crack.