This route follows the obvious right-curving corner which lies in the center of the West Face.
P1: easy 5th to a big ledge below a bulge that pulls into a short squeeze chimney. Belay at the ledge, not at the fixed pins 12 feet up recommended by supertopo.
P2: go up the squeeze at .7, clip the pins with a long runner, traverse out the roof into the slick corner. Awkward fingers and hip scumming up, then out another roof. 100', lots of sustained .9.
P3: off the ledge with the hangarless bolt, up and out the roof, then up another slick corner with very awkward hands. Up to a huge ledge. sustained awkward .9, 60 feet.
I combined 2 and 3 no problem with a 60m rope and a double cam rack with a single #3. ledge is huge and comfy.
P4: guidebook crux. mostly .7 and .8 slab. Hard part is getting gear in the seam on the corner/roof. It's there, but it's thin and placing it can be strenuous. The crux move felt like .10a slab, and is well protected on both sides. Then fun knob climbing past a pin to the belay.
P5: easy 5th to the top.
Descent: follow cairns to the east side of the dome. Big ledge with a tree. Chains on top of a huge block. 2 raps with a 60m to the ground. maybe 1 rap with a 70?
Agreed that the sustained .9 is harder than the single crux move.
By Mike Morley Administrator From: Oakland, CA Jun 29, 2007 rating: 5.9+
Crescent Arch is fantastic! The Supertopo guide bumps up the rating to 5.10b to reflect a single, well-protected move on the 4th pitch. Both my partner and I felt that the real crux of the route is the sustained 5.9 climbing throughout, rather than any single move.
As for rack, bring lots of wires. We carried a #4 camalot and never placed it.
By Jason Halladay From: Los Alamos, NM Oct 1, 2007 rating: 5.10a
Agreed, Mike. I didn't find the move on pitch four to be 5.10b. Seemed easier and it was, indeed, well-protected. The sustained laybacking at 5.9 on the whole route really is the crux of this route. It's fabulous. Near the top of the second pitch is a great belay ledge about 20 below the fixed pins and "recommended" belay. If I did this route again, I'd take two BD #3s for the belay on that fine ledge rather than continuing up to that miserable hanging belay on two crappy-looking pitons and gear. I'd highly recommend the same thing for anyone else. I hated that belay stance!
By C Tirrell From: Fort Collins, Co Aug 31, 2008 rating: 5.9+
One of my favorite cragging routes. Aesthetic, sustained and a little burly.
By caughtinside From: Berkeley, CA Sep 12, 2008 rating: 5.10a/b
P1: easy 5th to a big ledge below a bulge that pulls into a short squeeze chimney. Belay at the ledge, not at the fixed pins 12 feet up recommended by supertopo.
P2: go up the squeeze at .7, clip the pins with a long runner, traverse out the roof into the slick corner. Awkward fingers and hip scumming up, then out another roof. 100', lots of sustained .9.
P3: off the ledge with the hangarless bolt, up and out the roof, then up another slick corner with very awkward hands. Up to a huge ledge. sustained awkward .9, 60 feet.
I combined 2 and 3 no problem with a 60m rope and a double cam rack with a single #3. ledge is huge and comfy.
p4: guidebook crux. mostly .7 and .8 slab. Hard part is getting gear in the seam on the corner/roof. It's there, but it's thin and placing it can be strenuous. The crux move felt like .10a slab, and is well protected on both sides. Then fun knob climbing past a pin to the belay.
p5: easy 5th to the top.
Descent: follow cairns to the east side of the dome. Big ledge with a tree. Chains on top of a huge block. 2 raps with a 60m to the ground. maybe 1 rap with a 70?
Agreed that the sustained .9 is harder than the single crux move.
This is a HARD 5.9, long and sustained. The feet look (?) ok but don't feel it. Getting out of the chimney was taxing. The nice thing is you can put in enough gear. I continually thought I would run out of options but a standard rack seemed to work out fine. Thank god I convinced my partner to do the final roof thing move...I took a hanging belay in the corner before the traverse out right.
my palms are sweating onto the keyboard thinking about this route*
By Pat C From: Honolulu,HI... was in Indio Jul 16, 2009
My first tuolumne climb. I was seething fear.
By ccmski From: Prescott, AZ Oct 17, 2009 rating: 5.9+
Belay at the ledges as suggested in this description- the first time I did it years back, I rigged an aweful hanging belay under a roof. Rating of 9+ is acurate. I don't think that a single 70m will reach the ground from the top chains (haven't tested it though). Climbing is awkward but fun. No #4 needed.