Braille Book 

The approach hike is straightforward but steep, gaining 1600' in elevation from car to the base of the route. Count on a solid hour at a brisk pace.

Pitches 5 & 6 link with a 60m rope (180').

This is a great route to move into 5.8 territory. The 5.6 and 5.7 sections are steep and well protected with fun features everywhere.

I brought an old BD 3.5 that came in handy a few times, you could probably get away with a 3 but for that extra pro its worth lugging along.

Avoid a backpack, its definitely a nuisance in the chimney as well ad the 5.8 OW which is in a pretty sharp corner.

We linked 5 and 6 together with some nasty rope drag and wind, but everything worked out alright.

I would say, and the word around the valley is, that due to the greasyness of the 5.8 OW the rating is fairly sandbaged

This climb gets my vote for the best 5.8 around. I did it for the first time in 1982, did it many times after that. The hike to the summit of Higher Cathedral Rock is well worth doing, the view of El Cap is spectacular. I've sometimes lowered down a bight of rope and hauled the pack up the OW section, then left it clipped to some gear while I finished the pitch, just to save the second having to carry the pack up that stretch.

One of my favorites of all time! Did it on Jan 2nd, 2012. Can be done in four pitches with a 70m rope.

Second time up so I tried the 10c variation on p4 and it was really good. The final 10a finger section looked dirty so at that pointed you can also stem back to the regular route. Perfect hand jams on slight overhang. Really fun.

Fun and exposed variation goes out right after traversing around the roof that caps the chimney/corner. Up to a ledge on right-slanting corner, then out right to good hands with lots of air under you feet and an amazing view of the complex, tiger-striped face of Higher's east face.

5-star route, no sandbag at 5.8, bring the #4 if in doubt.

Good time, there was a lot of easier face climbing that was pretty damn run out especially the 2nd pitch. Bring a #4 for piece of mind. Also 2 #3 camalots helped for piece of mind. I also found my C3s were handy. There was a lot of fixed gear that I clipped but never tested them. Also the pitons on the crux chimney was welcome, otherwise the chimney would have been more dangerous. I still thought it was a PG-13 route. I was also tired from climbing the week before though.

I've climbed this twice over two years or so and I still think the crux pitch is harder than anything on the Northeast Buttress. And if you don't bring bigger gear it will sure be scarier too. When I think of the two now, therefore, this one makes me uhhhh way more nervous. Even though the NEB is way longer, I'd say it's way more doable as far as the climbing and pro go. Seriously, one should bring a 4 or 5 if there's any doubt. It's just for the one spot but I'm sure it could probably be used elsewhere

Great climb at the start of a cold day...I just wanted to warm though: I got stung up pretty nicely by a swarm of yellow jackets that my partner accidentally riled up in the brush as we were hiking off. It was where you hike up an obvious trail right after topping out and it parts faintly to the left or right. We took the left - which included passing through the brush that the hornets reside in. Additionally, later I learned of a girl that was stung up two weeks ago on the same hike off after climbing Book of Job. Be warned!

Regarding the location of the climb, the best place to park is NOT on South Side Drive in front of Middle Cathedral Rock. There are quite a few climber's trails here, most of them leading to various routes on Middle Cathedral Rock. Park on El Capitan Drive, the cross over from North Side Drive to South Side Drive. Walk down to the 3 way intersection of El Capitan Drive and South Side Drive, and there's a very obvious climber's trail at the west end of the intersection. This leads to what is probably the most efficient line up the Spires Gully.There are a few too many climber's trails leading into the Spires Gully, so keeping as much traffic as possible on this trail should minimize our impact on the area.