This fun arete climb offers great position and a challenging surprise at the end. It takes the main arete of the Solarium buttress. Climb an easy and completely unprotected ramp up and left towards the arete, or head up the direct start (which has one bolt) at 5.10b. The direct start is nicer but it forces your belayer to stand in an annoyingly loose slope of scree. Exercise caution making the first clip if doing the direct start, and falling before clipping the next bolt, from either start, would be very, very bad. But don't worry; the climbing is easy. Continue up the face just right of the arete until you move left around the arete to start climbing the fun slab where the climb changes character unexpectedly!
Protection
A dozen draws or so. A 70m rope allows a margin of safety; it might not be possible to lower off with a 60m if the draws are all clipped (a 60m is sufficient for rapping, however).
By C Miller Administrator Oct 31, 2006 rating: 5.10b
Yet another great ORG route that comes highly recommended. The crux is at the very top, as mentioned, and certainly will grab your attention with the abrupt and complete change of climbing style required to reach the anchors.
The name Sendero Luminoso means "shining path" in Spanish and is a reference to the communist party of Peru.
By Derek Lawrence From: Bailey Dec 12, 2006 rating: 5.10b PG13
Really fun route! A 60m will just barely get you down on rappel. It will NOT work to lower thru the draws. Also, the anchors at the top are in horrible condition. I would suggest rappelling from the rings instead of lowering...
By caughtinside From: Berkeley, CA Jan 6, 2007 rating: 5.10b
This and Whacked Scenario might be my favorite routes that I've done in the gorge. Also, I have lowered off with a 60 and cleaned draws on the way down. I had to swing to the right at the bottom, then boulder up to retrieve the first draw. No big deal. But you can't lower and then let a partner tr through the qds from below.
This route really should not receive the R rating. I always understood an "R" to mean that the climb was runout or bad pro AT THE CRUX and a fall FROM THE CRUX would likely result in injury. In the case of Sendero, the 10b crux is well protected. It is only the beginning 5.7 moves that are runout, but they are surely a cakewalk compared to the harder climbing near the top of this great pitch.
Also, the real Sendero Luminoso is not a legitimate communist party but a group of fanatic Maoist radicals that regularly engages in kidnapping and murder of local politicians and anyone else who stands in their way.
By susan peplow From: Phx J-Tree Jun 1, 2008 rating: 5.10b
This is a really great route that gives you nearly sustained .10 climbing up the headwall and just as you think you're about done you get the surprise. Even when you know it's coming you think, ahh crap.
I've climbed a bunch in a variety of places and I can't think of another route that has the same type of finish. It's unique in that sense.
As for being runout. I don't think so, where the bolt placements are spaced down low is significantly easier climbing across a ledge.
Incidentally, I've lowered from from the lead using a 60m to the right with no problem. A 70m gives you plenty of cord to lower directly into the sloping dirt.
By Adam Winters Administrator From: Bishop, CA Jan 25, 2009 rating: 5.10b
Anchors have been replaced and are BOMB- 4 mussies on 2 hangers. There's a real nice belay platform at the base now also!
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