Desert Shield

This is an amazing route, combining both excellent free climbing and moderate clean aid on an amazing headwall. This is an excellent step up from the standard Zion trade routes but is really not that serious.

The anchors are all bolted and it is typical to rap the route to descend. I have read that it is wise to fix a rope between the 6th and 4th pitch anchors for retreat (which we did not do). You can do this rap with 60 meter ropes and land on a ledge a little down and right of the P4 anchors, which you can then scramble up to.

For competent and experienced parties there should be no problem doing this route in a day. To find the base of the route hike up towards it and aim for the base of a stunning handcrack on the second pitch.

P1

Is a dirty short grovelly bit that is soloable at about 5.4 or so. There are bolted anchors on top of a ledge.

P2

Start on runout 5.7 face climbing to a sport-bolted section of 5.11a which is not really aidable (but you could always just pull on the bolts to make it easier). This leads to the base of a crack that goes from fingers to wide hands at 5.9. This 60m pitch is amazing.

P3

Climb a 5.10 handcrack left of the belay.

P4

A 5.9, left-facing chimney to some easier scrambling.

P5

Climb a bunch of blocky ledges to a steep, and somewhat sandy lieback flake crack system that ends to the left of the obvious prow (5.9). Pitches 3 through 5 are all pretty short and you can take your pick on which two to link, just beware of drag.

P6

Aid the bolt ladder with one hook move up the overhanging prow, around the corner, and then to a set of anchors at the base of the headwall crack. A few rivet hangers are handy.

P7

The first pitch of the amazing crack that splits the headwall. C2+ micro-nutting fun; lots of aliens and offset aliens are good too. This pitch is fiddly and sustained, but never too hard as there is always a good cam or nut before a thin section.

P8

The second headwall pitch that begins easy, but packs a punch. Aid C2 for a while up to a bolt under an overlap. There are opportunities for Camalots throughout this section. Eventually it gets thinner and some hook moves and bathooks are necessary to move right to another crack. This is the C3 crux of the route. A couple more thin micro scars lead to mandatory 5.6 steep free climbing to the belay. This section is extremely loose. Beware of huge loose blocks, but it is possible to climb around them.

P9

Didn't get to do this because of a huge thunderstorm that pummeled us and sent us to the ground in retreat. Apparently a C1 crack to a 5.6 ramp to a short bolt ladder to the top.

Have great fun on this amazing route!

For the first half of the route (which is free) you will want a standard free rack up to a number 4 Camalot. Take doubles in the hand-size pieces.

For the aid, you will want tons of micro nuts, tons of regular nuts, offset Aliens, and a couple other hooks like a cliffhanger, as well as all the usual stuff.