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
To get to this variation, follow the first four pitches of the Great Zot as Rossiter describes it and not as it is described here (from the left angling hand crack continue straight left to a big tree in a gully instead of cutting back right to the tree belay below Zot Face). The variation is a different last pitch to this route, and is described well by Rossiter.
P5: From the big tree belay in the gully, climb up the gully a few feet past the tree until you spy above you on the face a crack-like weakness. This is the route. Rossiter illustrates it as being a double crack at the top, and indeed it is, but the features can hardly be called cracks. The pitch passes a piton with a ring about half-height, and finishes just right of the large tower that rewritten finishes on.
I don't give this variation many stars because although it has exciting exposure differentiating from the traditional Great Zot finish and adds to the overall quality of airiness that the fourth pitch delivers, it is very very loose. In the so-called cracks are flakes just waiting to be yarded on. It is definitely a matter of opinion, and this pitch delivers its' full dose of adventure, but finding good placements can be interesting at times. At one point there is an easy offwidth section within which lies a large loose block that would sever your rope at the very least. Be careful, and have fun.
Protection
Standard Eldo rack; there is one fixed pin on this route.
I'm not sure this variation needs to be added as a separate route. Perhaps add it as a comment under the Great Zot maybe?
In any case, I've done this, as well as just about every other Great Zot variation while soloing in that area, and can't recommend much about this variation. Avoid it, as it's the worst way to finish the Great Zot. My favorite way of finishing the Great Zot is the wide crack that forms the right side of the tower of Rebuffet's Arete. Fun, mostly solid rock, and pretty mellow for wide-5.8.
I was actually going to add that as another variation, but the site went haywrie. PRobably a good recommendation to not have this as a whole route in itself, but seeing as how The Great Zot isn't described on this site at all, except for the beginning up to the Zot Face finish, I thought it seemed worthy as an addition.
It isn't good, but it's better than the standard finish, so I gave it one star. The finish you've described is the best finish to The Great Zot, deserving of three stars with some pretty spectacular fun!
RSS Feed
