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Central Gully

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Helicopter Effect 
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Straight, No Chaser 

Central Gully

Submitted By: Matthew Fienup on Jan 22, 2008
Administrators: Mike Morley, andy patterson
Views: 3,001 page views

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BETA PHOTO: Central Gully climbing and rappel routes.


Description 

The Central Gully of the Fortress has a very different character than the Right-side Gully. Whereas the Right-side is massive and towering (with 3 huge peaks looming overhead) as well as steep and loose, the Central Gully is low-angle and comfortable. The Central Gully is actually quite pretty. The routes in the Central Gully are also more moderate in nature.


Getting There 

The best way to access the Central Gully is to climb Footprints and then walk uphill to the base of Snickerdoodle or Blue In Green.

To move from the top of Snickerdoodle over to the base of Rational Expectations & Magali's Arete, one must rappel about 30 feet, step across a chimney and then scramble for a few feet. It is actually easier to rappel to the base of Snickerdoodle and then climb Blue In Green to reach the start of Rational Expectations & Magali's Arete.

For a detailed photo of the Central Gully that includes climbing and rappel routes, click here


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Central Gully:
Blue In Green   5.6     Sport, 1 pitch, 110 feet   
Rational Expectations   5.7     Sport, 60 feet   
Snickerdoodle   5.9+     Sport, 1 pitch, 100 feet   
Spontaneous Order   5.10a PG13     Sport, 4 pitches, 350 feet   
Seven Steps to Heaven   5.10a     Sport, 50 feet   
Browse More Classics in Central Gully

Featured Route For Central Gully
Romain & Alberto on the stunning summit of "Seven Steps" at the Fortress.

Seven Steps to Heaven 5.10a  CA : Central Coast : ... : Central Gully
Short but AWESOME route up the summit block above Rational Expectations & Magali's Arete. The crux is just below the second bolt (and is VERY well protected). The crux involves smearing your feet on the featureless face to the left of the arete. Following the crux, make a big move on the steepest part of the arete (5.9) and continue up the arete to the top.A fantastic summit awaits you!!...[more]   Browse More Classics in CA


Photos of Central Gully Slideshow Add Photo
Central gully routes

BETA PHOTO: Central gully routes

Central Gully, right side.

BETA PHOTO: Central Gully, right side.

The following photo depicts a highly-recommended circuit that allows you to climb four pitches up the Central Gully and drop into the Right-Side Gully to climb the routes there.<br /><br />UPDATE: Check out "Spontaneous Order" (5.10a), an even better option for climbing to the top!!

BETA PHOTO: The following photo depicts a highly-recommended c...

Jesse Groves rappels west, into the Right-Side Gully, from the summit of Seven Steps to Heaven. This photo is taken from the base of Adaptive Expectations.

Jesse Groves rappels west, into the Right-Side Gul...

Jesse Groves sits atop the spectacular summit of Seven Steps to Heaven (also Spontaneous Order), in the Central Gully of the Fortress.

Jesse Groves sits atop the spectacular summit of S...

Patty Fienup relaxes on "Lunch Ledge," midway up the Central Gully of the Fortress, with Pine Mountain in the background.

Patty Fienup relaxes on "Lunch Ledge," midway up t...


Comments on Central Gully Add Comment
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By Matthew Fienup
Administrator
From: Ventura, CA
Apr 1, 2008

On April 1, Jesse Groves and I climbed an awesome circuit that began in the Central Gully and finished in the Right-Side Gully. We started on Footprints, at the base of the Central Gully, and climbed 4 pitches to the top of Seven Steps (with one rappel/scramble to link Snickerdoodle to Rational Expectations). From the summit of Seven Steps, we rappelled West into the Right-Side Gully by descending to the base of Adaptive Expectations.

This circuit was an awesome tour of the Fortress and is highly recommended to anyone. For a photo/topo, click here

UPDATE: My recommendation has been superseded by the completion of Spontaneous Order which was made possible by Romain's excellent route "Blue In Green."