To protect nesting and roosting sites of falcons, Redgarden Wall from the Naked Edge (pitch 3 – top) through Sidetrack is closed from February 1st – July 31st or until further notice. Occasionally, these closures are lifted earlier.
This includes the following routes: • The Naked Edge (last 3 pitches only) • The Diving Board • Centaur • Redguard (last three pitches) • Semi-Wild • Anthill Direct (last three pitches) • The Sidetrack
This route is a variant 3rd pitch to Velvet Hammer or The Slimy Spoon. Thus, find the route as for Velvet Hammer and climb the first 2 pitches of that route (10c, 9), or of The Slimey Spoon (5.8+).
Go up the West Face of Redgarden wall on the trail, just past the second set of Railroad Tie stairs. From the top of these stairs, look right to the wall and down a short distance, to where a medium-sized conifer sits on a ledge just a short scramble above the ground. This is at the start of Velvet Hammer.
From P2 of either Velvet Hammer (as I described it, not as Rossiter does) or Slimy Spoon, move the belay up and left on the ledge and belay below the big arete up above.
P3, the Velvet Arete: Move down and right to the right hand side of the big overhang and climb up that on some decent holds, to establish your position on the south-west face, just above the overhang. Climb up and left staying just above the overhang to reach the arete, and then climb the knife-blade arete to the top.
This is a nice pitch, but does not have tons of pro. It was done in 50+ MPH winds, so it is possible that the grade I have assigned to it is not correct.
Protection
A light standard rack with a full set of cams. The fall potential is serious, but the climbing is reasonable and solid. There may be some loose rock, but there is always something good to grab.
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