- Edit (TBD)
Description
This route takes the center line up the wall weaving up through all the big roofs taking the line of least resistance. This route is also probably the best option for topping out the tower and can easily be climbed at a 5.10+ A0 level by pulling on the bolts at the two crux roofs. Alternatively, the route can also be made more classic and challenging by starting with the first pitch of
Cat Scratch Fever
.
Scramble up a rampy feature that leads to a crack system in the center of the wall, and rack up here. This crack system is the start of the route but
Cat Scratch Fever
shares the first 10 feet.
P1, 5.10a. Climb the crack system up to the first of many roofs, dirty at first then good. Pull the roof, and lieback up a flake on the right. Continue more easily up to the belay at a small stance on the right. This is a good pitch but the cracks tend to get a bit of dirt inside.
P2, 5.12. This is an amazing pitch on great rock. All of the difficulty comes from two boulder problems turning the big roofs. Continue up the curving groove system which has good gear near its top. Crank through the first roof (5.10ish) to a good stance. Clip a bolt (with a fixed chain draw to ease the strain of clipping), and tackle the crux roof. There is a second blot above the lip that is extremely difficult to clip while free climbing but is quite nice for working the moves or aiding past. We felt that this sequence was about V6 but is followed immediately by a no hands rest. Clip a third bolt, and do a strange move up and right to sidestep another smaller roof (5.10ish). Continue right along the lip of the roof past a hidden a gear placement, then go up the slab to a bolt and an overhanging dihedral. Stem up this corner (bolts), and tackle the roof above. From below, this roof appears to be about 5.9 but will feel impossible once you get to the lip and realize that all the holds go away. Very creative beta will in fact get you through the roof, but it will still feel V4-5. This is a very memorable finish to the pitch as the anchors are just above.
P3, 5.10+. This is the "kitten tongue pitch". Traverse left off the belay across a slab to a strange double groove and tongue system. Follow this through a roof, and pass a second roof on the left. Stem and face climb up past two bolts (5.10+) to a stance. Trend up an right past occasional gear (5.8 R), and top out the wall about 15 feet left of the rappel anchor. The second half of this pitch is a bit adventurous and has a feeling similar to a less traveled Black Canyon route. With an 80m rope, you can combine this with the next pitch and avoid a somewhat uncomfortable belay at the lip. A 70m rope might work too.
P4, 5.0. Scramble up a dirty slab to the trees above and belay. A several minute hike from here will take you to the top of the "tower" and will give you good views down into a neat "chalk chasm" on the backside.
Descent: rap Toxoplasmosis with a single 70m rope or
Cat Scratch Fever
with a 60m (harder). Do a diagonal rappel from slings on a tree up top to the P3 anchor on the lip of the wall. From here, three 35m rappels down the line will take you to the ground.
Location
It is in the middle of the wall.
Protection
Protection: two sets of cams purple Metolius size through #0.75 BD; one each #1, #2, #3 BD; possibly an extra finger-sized cam, Stoppers, two draws, and ten extendable sling draws.