Oso Scary (North Face free)

I found this route to be a lot of fun. I would say its characterized by fun/chill climbing mostly on your feet to technical style cruxes on small, fiddly gear. The exception being the crux pitch with protects very well (easy to aid) but is steep and in your face!

P1 (15m, 5.8): Climb up to the top of a block with loose blocks to your right, step left into the #3/4 crack for a funky move or two, then continue up 4th class, moving to the left to the bottom of a right-facing dihedral to the left and a #4 crack on the face to the right.

P2 (30m, 5.9): Climb up the R-facing dihedral stepping right when it pinches closest to the crack to the right. Follow this up to some perched blocks and belay to the right on this ledge or perhaps a bit higher on the face above (still a good stance, better anchor opportunities). [this is the only pitch I didn't hit with a wire brush, sorry.]

P3 (35m, 5.12-): Move up then left into the obvious R-facing corner that leans right. You get a bit above your gear on 5.10 terrain here but will have decent stances to fiddle whatever small gear you want before cruxes. After the crux leave the corner moving right to a stance below some jigsawed blocks (this will be somewhat obvious as the corner above you gets seamed shut and very steep.) Move up and right across the blocks at 11- and continue up to a belay in a corner. [note: this is the only pitch that differs from the Tipton-Hartman line, although we aren't 100% sure. I believe they went right on the face, up a crack, then around a corner to the right to a ledge, then up left on a dirty small corner (5.10) before meeting beneath the jigsaw blocks and finishing the same way (11-)]

P4 (35m, 5.11-): Move right on face holds and up under the R-facing corner/roof following this feature until after the crux, the corner will seam out and get steep, get some gear and MOVE HARD RIGHT (maybe a little down) around a corner on smearing feet and a small crimp rail bringing you into a small corner and a triangular ledge.

P5 (35m, 5.12+): Head straight up off the ledge for enjoyable layback climbing for ~10m before fiddling in a couple RP's in the corner before traverse right with feet on the slab heading toward the overhanging corner. Rest below the corner on a handrail (turns foot ledge) fire into the corner (crux) then right out of the roof mantling onto a full rest. Continue up a tips layback (12-) finishing in flared chimney spot with a good stance.

P6 (15m, 5.10): Top it out!!! I was going right at the very top as the anchor opportunities seemed better over there.

I spent a total of 10 days hiking in or out, resting, cleaning/working the route from above, and then eventually going for the send- leading rope solo from the bottom to the top. The crux pitch grades are only my opinion, I didn't have anyone else to bounce beta or ideas off of so please take these as estimates and give your suggestions! Thanks to the FAist's for sharing the route.

On the descent, when scrambling a small rock band floating on cloud nine from the send I heard a rock rolling above me and turned to see a bear charging out of a bush 5 feet away. I threw myself off the rock band landing on steep uneven rocks and kept charging downhill peeking over my shoulder to see the bear keeping close chase. I kept sprinting downhill, launching off the rock bands out of control and on the verge of crashing badly, knowing I had bear spray in my camp at the bottom of the hill. The bear stayed on me the whole way finally backing down when I turned to confront it with the bear spray in my hand breathing reaaaaal hard. He sauntered off. It was a very brown black bear bluff charging and chasing me only because I ran. Next time you're face-out scrambling and you look over your shoulder to see a bear charging at you from above, less than a second away, try to remember to stand your ground ;)

Hence the name; Oso is bear in Spanish.

The route generally traverses up and right starting from the North side of the Northeast Arete.

Do not approach as for other routes on Sundance but scramble on loose ground to the base of the North Face potentially crossing the boulders from the south end of North Lake. (see overview photo to help find the route).

RP's

Offset nuts

Small offset cams

Doubles .3-.75

Single .2, 1-3

No bolts or fixed gear.

The gear on this route is often small and a bit fiddly but placed from decent stances. It's easy to get in marginal gear but will take a litte more time to find the best placement. I was often cruxing above a .1/.2 offset and a small nut or RP. Gear may be at your ankles when pulling some cruxes with nothing to hit if you fell. The crux protects where ever you please.

A 4 or second 3 could be brought for P1 but a single bumped 3 is fine. I used a 4 but mostly for upward pull anchors for rope soloing.

If you want more gear beta feel free to contact me.