Warpaint

This route was the best Christmas present I ever got.

Imagine climbing a steep sunny granite slab on near-perfect rock for almost 700 feet of edging and smearing. Imagine being surrounded by a sea of granite domes and trees in 65 degree weather in the middle of winter. Imagine watching Cotimundi's eating berries while approaching the base of the route and then rapping off in a beautiful Southwest desert sunset. Imagine all of that, or maybe just go climb this route and experience it instead.

Find this route by hiking to the base of Westworld Dome and skirting in to the base of a massive buttress, perhaps 160 feet tall and 10-15 degrees off of vertical, left of center. This is the beginning of the climb and it sports a line of bolts.

P1: 5.10c, 160'. Follow a line of bolts past the first crux, perhaps 1/3 of the way up the slab. This is runout at the top and the easiest line runs slightly left of center above the last bolt. If I recall correctly, this runout can be mitigated with a stopper placement if you desire to do so. You will end on a ledge where some gear or a cordalette will make a good belay. This pitch sets the tone for the rest of the route.

P2: 5.8+, 60'. Look back and left to see a small corner with a crack. Climb up this, protecting with 1.5 to 2.5" gear to reach a bolted belay after 60 feet or so. This pitch is the only "easy" pitch along the route, and is out of character with the majority of the climbing.

P3: 5.10c, 150'. Climb up another line of bolts arcing slightly right for a short distance and continue 2/3 of the way up the pitch to the crux where the holds are incredibly sloper and small, but still good. Finish the pitch at another bolted belay. This pitch, like the first, is a classic on it's own merit.

P4: 5.10b, 160'. Climb up and right from the belay to reach the next solid section of wall. After a little more 5.10b slabbing you will reach a section with larger and more positive holds, these end soon enough though and you will move up and left again to reach a blunt rib of rock onto more thin 5.10 face moves. Another classic pitch.

P5: 5.10c, 150'. Tired? Are your tips sore? You can ease back to 5.10a or lower climbing now... almost! Step up and right off of this belay and make a right-hand sequence (10c) though a set of sharp, crystaline pockets to reach the final crimpers before the angle eases off. From there continue to move up and right to near the massive corner overhead. You can even move right far enough to get a stem or two for rest. Finish the route to another set of bolts before rapping off.

Rap the route with two (2) 60 meter ropes. 50M ropes might work, but I have not verified this.

2 ropes to rap the route. I suggest 60M ropes, but 50's will work according to some pals.

Take perhaps a dozen or more draws, a few medium nuts or small tricams, and 1 set cams from 1-2.5". The pitch might be climbed with nothing more than bolts, but plan on severe 5.8-5.9 runouts without gear. I placed about 5 pieces of gear in all, but did run it out in the non-bolted areas. Take a cordalette for the belays.

I rated the route PG-13 because this route may be bolted well (bolts upgraded recently), but you'd still not want to take repeated falls on it. The bolts are reasonable spaced and the rock would likely leave cheese-grater dreams with anyone so brash as to siege the wall.