Bill's Crack

START – At almost the lowest part of the cliff, at the apex of the “V” vegetation. P1 – Climb a buttress to its top  5.4-5.5   2021 NOTE: The telephoto photo shows two possibilities for this buttress and associated "crack". My guess is the left one...but only a guess. Hey, you wanted an adventure!

 P2 – Climb up a crack, reach important.  This is “Bill’s Crack”.  5.6 or so depending on height. 2021 NOTE – Pitch lengths were not given for P1 & P2, but I would guess that with modern ropes the pitches might be combined. Ratings are also probably "old school".  P3 – Up the wide, red gully and then move left to an area of slabs. There are few cracks in the gulley (very compact rock) and this lead, although easy ( 5.3 – 5.4) is quite unprotected.  From the talus looking up at the cliff this gulley looks very rotten; it is one of the pleasant surprises on this route.  140 ft  5.3 – 5.4  P4 – Easily up low level slabs to the base of huge triple overhanging buttresses.  70 ft  Class 4  P5 – Up to the right of the buttresses.  130 ft or so,  5.6  P6 -  Up for another pitch   (2021 NOTE – just guessing, but probably less than 130 ft )  P7 -  Move left, then back right (2021 NOTE- Hey, waddya want for 1971 ?) Eventually a line of vegetation running horizontally with the top of the “Serpent’s Head” will be reached.   P8,9 ..- The line then goes directly to the top, but the FA party reports that they should have moved over left to the Serpent’s Head” and finished on North Basin Headwall, as they encountered much poor rock, although the climbing was not difficult.  See also “The S-Crack”. 

START – At almost the lowest part of the cliff, at the apex of the “V” vegetation

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