Chasm View Cutoff

This is a fun, moderate adventure route that lets you experience the exposure of Chasm View Wall without the more difficult climbing that is otherwise typical of the area. The route follows the black rock band and ledge that traverses across the upper wall.

Chasm View Cutoff consists mostly of 4th- and lower 5th-class climbing. Other than the final pitch, only a few moves are 5.4 or harder. On the final pitch, a few moves are 5.7 and most of the rest of the pitch is easier. If you are looking for hundreds of feet of sustained climbing, this is not your route. If you are looking for wildness, solitude, history, alpine views, and big-time exposure, look no further.

From the far right side of the Broadway ledge, scramble up and right following the easiest line to a comfortable belay underneath a stair-step formation. There was a sizable snowfield here in late June 2014. Bypass the snowfield on the right following the ledge to an airy step-around move and belay.

Downclimb 15 feet, traverse an easy section, then climb a couple of harder moves into a black, undercut area. Continue right around another corner and belay. Another 100-foot traversing pitch brings you to the base of a prominent dihedral and wide fist crack. This is the same as the belay for P7 as described under

Red Wall

on this site. From here, you can see out to where your ledge abruptly disappears into the face a hundred feet to the right. That is definitely not your exit.

Just to the right of the crack system, climb the face up and right past an ancient piton or two and out to the arete. Step around the arete using a large and improbable hold (crux) to a ledge system on the other side. Follow that ledge system along a vertical wall to the ridge. This pitch is the same as the "5.6ish" variation of P7 described under

Red Wall

on this site.

Descend to the Boulderfield or continue to to the summit via the North Face.

Approach via North Chimney or Chasm View rappels to Broadway. Follow Broadway right to the start of the route.

Standard rack, double cams if you want to run pitches together. Protection can be sparse, and the route is mostly a traverse, so the second should be comfortable at the grade. The crux moves, however, can be protected fairly well for both leader and second.