Chouinard-Herbert  5.11c

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Type:  Trad, 15 pitches, 1400 feet, Grade V Consensus:  5.11c [details] FA:  FA: 1962 Yvon Chouinard and T.M Herbert FFA John Long, Pete Minks, Erik Erickson 1976 Season:  Summer Submitted By:  S. Stember on Aug 19, 2008 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (10) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

Pitch 11 or so. Maybe the best pitch on the route....

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Fifi Buttress To Close! MORE INFO >>> The following areas are closed to all visitor use to protect peregrine falcon aeries from March 1 until August 1 of each year or until the young falcons of the current year have fledged: Fifi Buttress Immediately west of Leaning Tower. Closure includes all routes on Fifi Buttress. This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

Description 

P1: 5.6 Climb up easy steps on the left edge of the Flying Buttress. Bolted Anchor.
P2: 3/4th class ramp. Link first two Ps by simul-climbing. Two Bolts
P3: 5.8 Chimney
P4: 5.8 Hand crack. Move out onto the front of the pinnacle. Link P3 and 4 with a 60M rope.
P5: 5.10C From the top of the pinnacle, move right off a ledge towards a vegetated crack. Clip several pins on your way upwards. Bolted Anchor.
P6: 5.11B Move right on some 5.9 slab towards a corner system with pitons in it. Move up 5.11B l/b or C1 for about 25 feet. Bolter anchor.
P7: 5.10A Many pitons. Mantle and l/b a very enjoyable face below a left angling and facing crack system.
P8: 5.10A Move up 1-2 inch crack system (careful, loose rock) and move right over several blocks and ledges. Bolted anchor.
P9: 4th class move right for awhile then left when terrain allows.
P10: 5.9 Climb towards obvious pillar. The right side of the pillar is splitter hands (easy) and will leave you at an anchor with one bolt and one piton (ackward belay). Link P9 and 10 with a 60M rope.
P11: 5.11A Off the pillar, climb the strenuous 5.8 OW crack to a roof. 5.11A. Move upwards to another short roof. 5.10+. Bolted anchor.
P12: 5.11C or C1 Afro-Cuban Flakes. Climb up a 5.10A dihedral to many pitons that traverse to the right. When you reach a thin crack going up, continue up this crack (5.10A, airy!)to a bolted anchor.
P13: 5.8 Climb a chimney/crack system. Trad anchor.
P14: 5.4 ramp/chimney. Trad anchor/tree anchor. Link P13-14 with a 60M rope.
P15: Climb up easy crack to the summit.

Route notes: All anchors are new ASCA bolts, most have two bolts some have just one with a piton to back it up. This is a top-notch route that has great climbing in the middle. The approach pitches and last couple are less than amazing, but the heart of the route is phenomenal.

Location 

Start up the Four Mile Trail for about a mile, then 30 meters before the first creek, find a climbers trail on the right side (south) of the trail. Scramble upwards following the climbers trail for about 10-15 minutes until you reach an obvious ramp. Leave any extra gear (backpacks, water, etc) here. Continue up the 2nd class ramp, with occasional exposure, until you can look up and see the Chessman Pinnacle. From here choose the easiest looking approach towards the pinnacle. The terrain is 4th/easy 5th so roping up is a good idea. A rope length will bring you to the base of the pinnacle. Now, the actual climbing begins.

Protection 

Double set of Cams #.3-2 camalot, one #3
Supplement alients for camalots, they are very useful on most pitches for pin scars
1 set of nuts (optional)
15 draws (some quick draws, some trad draws)

Photos of Chouinard-Herbert Slideshow

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Afro-Cuban flakes	Pitch 5 lined with a bunch of old pins that have t...	Afro-Cuban Flakes
P11, stellar 5.8+++ OW climbing