Direct Southeast Ridge, North Crag

This is a direct variation that tackles the steeper sections of the crag head on. It's really only different for a few pitches:

1st pitch - start at the toe of the formation, and skirt the left side of the formation, angling up to the normally described 1st belay on a fun and runout rail, ~5.8 R.

2nd pitch - from the ledge, go directly up a bulge, slabs, and crispy holds to reach the large ledge above.

3rd pitch - climb the very left edge of the cliff, up a shallow dihedral and a small roof, ~5.9 R. This pitch requires some RPs and has ledgefall potential, although it is better protected than the rest of the route. It's awkward and harder than it looks.

4th & 5th pitch - we simuled straight up through the normal 5.5 pitch and on to the highest connected point, then we reversed the final section to an easy escape off of the right side - this is the higher summit described in the SE Ridge route description.

From there, we soloed up the next long slab section (dirty but reminiscent to the route buckets).

From nearly the top of the final formation, you can escape right to a faint climber trail. From here, descend South and eventually underneath the South face of the Central Crag.

It is on N. Shanahan Crag. See the description for

SE Ridge Route

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A single rack to a #3 or #4 and RPs.