Predator

We found the purple Dick guidebook description to be a little confusing. It’s easy enough to find your way as long as you have a few clues. The route goes almost straight up. The roof pitch is fun and exciting but the other dirty climbing is a heavy price to pay. The climbing up to the not-so-GT ledge would actually be pretty nice without all the lichen.

Climb vegetated rock straight up past a dead tree wedged between two other trees (hard not to use it.) Wander up a slab to a slippery ledge, step right, climb the face and nose in orange-white rock to some small C3 placements below an overhang. Pull the overhang and then move basically straight up for 12’~ to a stance (5.10- PG/R.)

Continue up the lichen-covered face above, almost straight up and a tad bit right, shooting for successive pine trees. Along the way you will encounter: some small overlaps, a few loose blocks, generally solid rock, and maybe a couple of 5.7 moves. Arrive at the not-so-GT Ledge and belay at the obvious pine. If you combine this pitch with the first (recommended) it’s about a 200’ pitch.

Next pitch: Step a bit left of the tree and climb a face with overlaps toward the obvious protruding block and short right-facing corner above and to the left. Work up into the alcove/corner (#5 Camalot helpful, other gear available) and then climb out to another horizontal that is dirtier and takes less gear. Fire out past the lip to a bomber jug that eats a #3 and presumably a #2. Make a standard 5.10a pull-up and mantle move and you’re done. Except...

Climb up more dirty rock and grassy/thorny ledges to some gear placements and a vague grassy ledge. Several exits are possible but we moved 20’ right and belayed. Done this way you then pretty much have to do another 60’ pitch of unpleasant 4th/5.easy to gain the top of the cliff.

A few climbs right of Yum Yum Yab Yum.

Start below a short jagged crack and blocky overlaps leading to a short right-facing corner and then slab. Currently there is a dead tree wedged between two other trees at about 20’. Directly above you should see an orange and white face/scoop below an overhang about 60’ up. This is what you’re aiming for.

Standard Rack. #5 could be useful