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Description
Sympathy for the Devil is a brilliant variation finish to
The Devil's Backbone
and may be the best pitch at Mary's Bust as of 2009.
Climb P1 and P2 of
The Devil's Backbone
(both 11-), but skip the penultimate bolt at the end of the 2nd pitch, and go right to a ledge on the edge of the buttress with a hidden two-bolt anchor.
P3. Climb up the arete, and move onto the overhanging wall on the right. Clip bolt 4 (terrific 12- to here), then you have two options:
A) Traverse straight left to the arete, and climb it for about 8 feet. Move back right again, and clip the 5th bolt with a long sling. This John and B. Gillett's vision initially.
B) Go straight up from bolt 4 to bolt 5 (using a long sling as above). This is the more direct, more sustained line at the same grade. B. Gillett led this version with Jonathan Siegrist a couple weeks after the FA. Both versions are worthy.
After clipping the 5th bolt, move right to a bulge/small overhang. Surmount this (12-), and continue up a spectacular face overhanging the abyss to a bolted belay on the arete at the top of the face.
Lower off from here to clean the pitch, or move left to the anchor on
The Devil's Backbone
to rap off.
Location
This route climbs the right edge of the buttress immediately left of the main wall at Mary's Bust. P3 provides exceptional position as it overhangs the gully to the right, and the rock is nearly perfect. See
The Devil's Backbone
for more detailed approach information.
Rap thrice (60', 90', 95'). The first rap goes to the normal anchors on
The Devil's Backbone
; you'll see them from the crux pitch belay.
Protection
15 quickdraws and a thin, 24" sling for the horns on
The Devil's Backbone
. There are nine bolts on the crux pitch.