Hot Flash

This is a very nice route. The rock is good and the line is excellent. For the most part the moves are moderate, but the climb maintains a good level of interest the whole way.At the upstream end of the First Creek Slabs, scramble up to a good, brushy ledge on the western side of the alcove. Start here and climb a flake up and left to a good ledge. The next pitch moves up and right to a crack and a belay niche above a small overhang. The large overhang above is passed by a friction traverse left to a right-slanting weakness.The next three pitches go up the sweeping slab. Start by going up and left on easy, but unprotected, friction to reach some good cracks. On the next pitch, do not get lured left into the pink, left-facing Comeback Corner. Stay on the aesthetic central crack (passing one section of hollow flakes). At its top, this long face is capped by an overhang which is easily passed on the left.A short easy pitch takes you to a good ledge at the base of a mossy corner. Avoid the corner by climbing up and right for a long pitch on the slabby arete. Two more pitches continue up cracks to the summit.Descent: follow the ramp system down and left (east) to the standard First Creek Slab descent routes.

Standard rack, wires