I Sphynx There's a Way

All of the east face routes on the Sphinx so far are rated-R. Is there a more protectable line up this thing?

I Sphynx There's a Way tackles the right side of the east face and not only goes safer than the standard route, but it is easier. I'm not really sure why this one didn't get discovered long ago. Like

Lower East Fac

e, this drops you off below the final 4th Class pitches.

P1. 5.3ish. Like

Lower East Face

, start down on the apron of the Sphinx skirting left around the big headwall 40 feet up. This time though, after moving around the headwall, fire straight up to the trees on the right side of the ledge.

P2. 5.4. Start up the right side of the Sphinx face aiming for the protectable 5.4 dihedral with poison ivy under it. Climb the dihedral, then tackle some lightly protected 5.3 terrain up and left until you reach the lonely tree in the corner. Belay off the tree optionally backing it up with the semi-thin corner.

P3. 5.6. Move right from the belay, and pull a well-protected 5.6 move up the dihedral. Head up to the corner, and jump over the wall to the right. Move right again to dodge another roof, and then belay from the trees above.

A short walk 40 feet left will deposit you at the 4th Class pitches (you can probably belay P3 from a tree over here with immense rope drag).

There are plenty of places to fall off ledges, but I think that's typical of most blocky Flatiron routes. Anything hard has chest-level pro.

A standard Flatirons rack.