Super Slab

ANOTHER of the Aug 7, 1973 climbs! This one took a while to find, the key was the piton left from the F.A. After that "it all came together".

Really very nice climbing, although P1 has some pretty hard moves below and just above that pin. Then there are the moves at the top of the face....5.7X. The rating assigned by the "old school" Brit Paul Ross was 5.7 and I've kept that as a 5.7+ for consistency, but I think the climbing is harder than that!

Pitch 2 is an interesting tour on it's own, and highly recommended provided you have a full set of TriCams. Just like Crazy Woman Driver, one can get to P2's start easily from the Tsunami "base" Ledge.

Approach - To approach pitch 1, use the same approach as for Bonsai.

START - (See also the Topo) About 25-30 ft right and uphill from Bonsai, and just left of dark, mossy, rock with a large "scoop" stance about 6 ft off the ground. (Photo) Just left of the "scoop" a faint dike rises up and slightly left. (photo) This dike is best observed in the late afternoon sunlight.

P1 - Make the opening thin face moves to gain the micro dike (or the 'scoop') [hey, the first 10ft never counts in the rating, does it?!] Then follow the dike (5.7+ to 5.8 R) to an undercling flake [Var.] on the right (above and to the right is the 1973 piton, driven down "behind" the flake, to the right of the tiny tree). Now easily up to a large ledge, then Left to a right-facing flake that leads to the dike which are now "twin SEAMS" (ya, they did look like cracks from below, didn't they!). Up these (5.7 R/X) to a good ledge system. [possible to belay here] Now a rising traverse left (crossing Bonsai) on much easier ground for 50-60 +/- feet to the belay (old piton and a new bolt anchor) at the right-hand-side of a curving flake that turns into an arch. 130-140 ft 5.7+ to 5.8 R/X NOTE:From the belay the ground can be reached with a single 70m rope, but not a single 60m.

Variation- Instead of climbing up under the undercling, step left to a short right-facing flake; up this then back right to the main route. Unfortunately, the pro at the flake is less than ideal AND you are out-of-position for clipping the piton.

P2- A VERY nice pitch which should see more traffic using the easy approach from the Tsunami ledge. (See Crazy Woman Driver for details) BRING TRICAMS !

P2- Step left from the belay (thus crossing Crazy Woman Driver) and then over the quartz intrusions, (look for a "hole" for a small-medium tricam) then up and slightly left headed for a line of three "partially formed" solution pockets. Up these and onto a shallow ramp [5.5 / 5.6 PG-13/R] that slants uphill to the right. (the "5th pocket" is fully formed and accepts a large TriCam). Continue up to another, smaller solution hole (small TriCam or Orange Alien). Here, move left [Var. 2.] and up along a line of solution pockets and an interesting quartz dike. (At this point you're about 15 ft right of bolt #3 on Cruise Control.) Now straight up, passing a "Red #1 Camalot" solution pocket to the top of the slab. 140 +/-ft 5.6 - 5.7(-) PG-13/R with TriCams, "X" without

Variation 2- Climb straight up, passing the HUGE, 18" solution pocket complete with a "garden" (in the spring) and, above it, another "Cam friendly" hole to either a 2 bolt anchor, or the trees 50ft above the anchor.

Descent - There is now (2015) a tree rap station at the top of Cruise Control that allows for a double-60M-rope rap back to the "Tsunami" tree ledge; double 70M's get you all the way to the ground.

Single Rope Descent: move 40+/- ft climber's-left of the Cruise Control rap-tree to the rap route of Silver Surfer's Rap line. ( 3 single rope raps, or 1 single and one double-rope rap.  The first rap is off 2 bolts with rings, the 2nd goes off a dbl bolt anchor at the Silver Surfer Belay (about 20 left of Perfect Wave's flake) The 3rd rap starts by a tiny tree about 20-25ft climber's/rappeller's left of the "fall line" from the 2nd anchor.

Alternate Single Rope Descent: A rap station is located 40 ft below and about 40 ft to the right of the Cruise Control tree rap. (It is 40+/- ft directly below a prominent crack in the 4-5ft high overlap at the top of the slab.) Make a 50 ft diagonal rap from the tree to this station, then a 90 ft to the Super Slab belay/rap, then 70-80 ft diagonally left back to the Tsunami Ledge (or, with a 70m rope, BUT NOT A 60m !), one rap to the ground at the base of Bonzai.)

In 1973 the F.A. party probably went 60-70 feet left to the trees and established what became, over the decades, the "mankiest anchor in NH" (see photo) It's still there, on a triple-trunked oak, complete with a STEEL biner! (It's now backed up.)

BRING TriCams ! and a std rack