Tragically Hip

A lot of routes climb "aretes," but relatively few are true arete climbs: climbs where you literally lieback your way up the edge. This is one of those climbs.

Start up a chossy short pillar (3 bolts, somewhat harder than it looks) and top out on a ledge. The hardest crux comes right off the ledge at a high first bolt: grab the arete and paste your feet high. The climbing doesn't back off much the rest of the way, with technically sustained and tenuous moves clear to a wonderful jug at the arete's apex. Your left hand leaves the arete for only two or three moves the whole way. Great position at the finish.

After being retrobolted in 2000, this route now looks overbolted from the ground. Maybe it is, but I've yet to see anyone skip a bolt.

Far right side of Pure Joy area. To the left of the arete is the Ambient Domain dihedral (5.10c).

11 bolts, 8 on the upper arete. Chain anchor. Originally climbed with 5 bolts, all on the upper arete.