Condor Condiment

Pitch 1 (165', 5.8) - follow a line of nine bolts to a 2-bolt belay just below a small roof.

Pitch 2 (100', 5.8) - traverse left past a bolt and then head up through an area with holes suitable for cams and tricams, and finally trend left with some thrilling exposure and three more bolts. 2-bolt belay.

Pitch 3 (100', 5.7 or 5.10a) - head up past a bolt and some more holes. You eventually want to gain a ridge. The guidebook said going more to the left is 5.7R, while heading straight up past a bolt is 5.10a. I did the "5.10a" way and didn't think it was that hard, YMMV. Once on the ridge, clip another bolt, then belay at a one-bolt anchor, supplemented with gear.

Pitch 4 (200' to the summit, fourth class) - traverse right, then atop ridge past a couple more bolts. We downclimbed a bit, then up a gully. Two bolt belay with rap rings.

The route ends on the north summit of Condor Crag.

Approach: hike north from the junction of the High Peaks trail and the Juniper Canyon trail about 0.4 miles (there is an outhouse at this junction, which is about 2 miles and 1200' elevation gain from the Bear Gulch parking lot). The trail will dip down, and then climb back up steeply, up some steps cut into the rock and a railing. Pass Long's Folly on the left.

The next major formation on the left will be Condor Crag, which has a north and south summit. Observe the gap between them near a large gray/digger pine, then take the handrail and steps down.

The route is on the north side of Condor Crag. Continue on the trail until it is possible to descend along the north face, perhaps 100'. Bushwhacking and some third class scrambling required.

Descent: Rappel from the summit to the first intermediate rap station near a tree -- do not go all the way down to the big alcove with the chockstone : otherwise the rope is likely to get stuck going over the sharp edge. Rappel a second time to the High Peaks trail.

Cams from 0.6" to 4" (can probably leave out the #3 though), tricams, quickdraws, some longer slings, maybe a small selection of nuts. 60m rope.