Carter Ledge Direct

P1 – Climb up and left to protection at a pine tree 40 feet up. Climb the slab right of a right facing corner with a few trees in it at the start to a left curving arch. Step up then follow the arch left 15ft to a step over to the slab above. (at an intrusion of quartz) Climb to the next overlap with a small pine bush above, pull this and belay at an oblivious 20ft tall thin pine tree in the center of the face below a beautiful white slab. This lonely belay tree can clearly be seen from the base on the horizon. 5.5 150ft [see COMMENT]

P2 – Climb the clean featured slab with no protection for 40 feet to a shallow curving arch on the left. Step up to a left facing flake for gear. Climb up and slightly right to a small flake/handhold (crux) then up to the crest of the swell at a small bush that has a fixed piton in a hole above. Climb straight up the shallow dike joining Living the Dream with many tri-cam pockets to a low angled sloping ledge below the sweeping headwall. Belay at the start of the lower angled slab near a small bush with a 20 inch slot that has a natural thread and cam placements. 5.5/6 PG 13 200ft [see COMMENT]

P3 – Climb the headwall on pockets of all sizes (Cool Climbing) and continue on passing a few small Jack Pines to the summit of the Ledge. 5.3/4 150ft
Variation: On pitch two you can climb up slightly right (this has better protection) in cracks and flakes climbing just left of Living the dream to the same fixed piton at the base of the shallow dike. Continue up the dike to the same belay at a slot. 5.5 200ft

Walk 30-40 feet back and right and you will cross the hiking trail. Turn right/ down, soon re-tracing your hike in., about 2.5 miles back to your car.

Gear: Light Standard Rack with Tri-cams for the upper pockets is adequate. #2 (gold) Camalot-sized for belay at thread, end of P2 and for "Quartz move" on P1.
FA: Unknown but years ago. (Old pin) Route description as climbed by Brad White and Paul Segal. Sept 2012