The Ridge Route (submitted as The New and the Old)

The New and the Old is a three pitch route up the slab.

About 15 years ago, I spotted an old route on this slab that was all buttonhead bolts that looked fairly old - perhaps an old Mike Baker route? Recently I discovered that someone seems to have redone that route, replacing the buttonheads, rerouting the route in areas, and they appear to have extended the route to the top of the slab.

Pitch 1 - 5.8-ish. 9 bolts. 70-80’. Climb up and left at start. The pitch is 5.8 ish but mostly easier. It is cruxy near the top at the 7th bolt. Clip a two bolt anchor with chain at a small stance.

Pitch 2 - about 5.9. 10 bolts. 80'. Climb steep moves in first half, then it eases up. You'll pass a 5 bolt anchor with two buttonheads, one old bolt and two new bolts. This may have been the top of the old buttonhead route. Then the route splits. If you go straight up, it’s two bolts to an anchor at a horizontal with no rings. That looks like a dead end. Or angle up and left for two bolts to an anchor with chain at a horizontal. There's a bit of a tricky balance move gaining the anchor. There are four or five old buttonheads on this pitch, sometimes next to or between new bolts.

Pitch 3 - 5.9. About 70-80’. 8 bolts. This is a bit more fragile and is the dirtiest of the three pitches. Traverse left from anchor then up to the first bolt. Climb past three bolts on some fragile rock on small edges to a ledge, then continue up more fragile climbing above. Finish at a good stance with chain anchor below horizontal break.

Rappel the route.

Start under a chimney that forms the base of a large, left-facing dihedral. The route climbs the face via the obvious line of bolts.

8-10 bolts per pitch plus anchors. You can rappel the route with a single 60 meter rope.