Stem up the gully to a bushy ledge, then head right to the vertical crack. Climb to the alcove (optional belay) and then finish straight up with the crack. This climb would grab another star if the brush bashing was eliminated. Descent via rappel or off the east (climbers right) side via the path/scramble. NOTE: route is longer than 30 meters/100ft! Be careful on rappel!
By Matthew Fienup Administrator From: Ventura, CA Aug 10, 2006 rating: 5.8
I have yet to find a route up this formation that feels anything like 5.6 or 5.7. By S.B. standards, the easiest line feels like solid 5.8 to me. The 5.6 suggested for this route in the Edwards guide is laughable.
I agree with Matthew this is a sandbag as far as I can tell. After the first crack I had trouble finding an easy way to traverse over or a good gear placement at the top of the crack right before the traverse. Then belayed at the start of what I thought was the next crack made it over first overhang. Fun and not too bad. Then get to next offwidth/squeeze chimney/slight overhang and struggled to get through that. At one point almost had it but my helmet got stuck. So gave up and ended up doing what appears to be slacker which i thought was a definitely a solid 5.8. Anyone know if that chimney/crack to the right was part of triple overhang? I hope not if so I must have been missing something. It was the first crack pretty wide with ledge then narrows to the right of the crescent and there were bolts running up the face between crescent and this crack. Is this the route or still not far enough right? Also I brought a number 5 camalot and found it useful.
Upper Gibraltar
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