- Edit (TBD)
Description
This is a fantastic route on clean rock. It is good for a shorter/warmer alternative to the Diamond or a hard man start as an alternative to the
North Chimney
. It has some solid runouts, but the bolts are where you need them for the hard climbing.
Pitch 1. Smear some delicate slab moves up to the first bolt, clip it, and take a deep breath. Head straight up the obvious weakness, aiming for a pin in a shallow, left-facing corner up and right. Clip this pin, move up and right out of the corner and commit to a healthy, albeit easy, runout to the line of bolts marking the crux of this pitch, ending at a two bolt belay below a roof, 11c.
Pitch 2. Get some thin gear to start in a shallow corner right off the belay, then take another deep breath as you commit to the slabby features leading to the first bolt 20 feet above. A hidden piton below it gives a welcome surprise. The bolts get close together, you know what that means. After the crux, some more engaged runouts lead to another bolted belay, 5.12.
Pitch 3. You guessed it, another runout to the first bolt (much easier than the first two)! Follow the bolts to the crux arete sequence, then venture up the easier crack/ledge system to a single bolt belay, 5.11.
Pitch 4. Step down and right to the corner, then go up to the bolt which is 15 feet straight right of the belay. Climb up into the roof where you plug some bomber big gear (optional #4), pull the lip, and enjoy the moderate cracks up to a fixed belay of stoppers and old tat, 5.9.
Pitch 5. Go up and right off the belay in a shallow, right-arching corner, then go up to a fixed pin protecting the step right into another corner. Gun for the two bolts above on the clean panel of rock. From the final bolt, it looks possible to traverse up and right, we stepped left over the mini-roof and up the flake. Reach onto the ledge and dig those fingers in deep to that grass, exciting! 5.11.
Location
Locate the largest, most prominent black streak on the lower left side of Chasm View Wall, which terminates at Broadway Ledge. Start just right of this streak gunning for a bolt 20 feet off the ledge system (or snow in earlier season).
Descent: rap the route, skipping the single bolt belay station for pitch 3/4. Doubles felt necessary. Or continue up the right side of the Diamond like a bawse!
Protection
SR to #3 is adequate. RPs. Optional #4. QDs.