The East Face of North Gateway is closed to climbers every year from around Feb 1 until early August, depending on when the birds fledge. It's not posted out there, but since the closure has been in effect for 20+ years it is incumbent on climbers to know about closures by stopping in at the visitor center and asking. The falcons always nest in a big pothole above the traverse ledge and below the Kissing Camels arch.
Bill Weiss starting the rappel from the 2nd pitch ...
Description
This is a high quality route with a beautiful position high on the Finger Face of North Gateway Rock. Scramble up the Tourist Gully for a few hundred feet to a flat area with three large eyebolts. The climb is the second one to the left of Clip It Or Skip It, which is an obvious line with many many pitons spaced very closely together.
P1) Start from about the height of the eyebolts, and traverse in from the left. Undercling to get some high feet at the first piton, then continue traversing right past two more pitons. About five feet right of the third piton, step up and then back left on easier terrain, but a bit runout to the anchor. (5.9+, 45 feet).
** Two variations exist to this first pitch. One is a 5.11d TR climbing straight up the blank face to the third piton. The other is a 5.10R finish, which goes straight up from the third piton, instead of traversing right and up.
P2) Step down from the anchor and then traverse right about ten feet to some easy ground up past some horns and along a sort of left-facing corner type formation. There are couple potholes where you could place a #2 or #4 Camalot, which is recommended, as otherwise, you climb about 30 feet to the first piton, which sticks out pretty far and would maybe rip if you fell on it. Continue up and right past the second piton, pulling up and right into an alcove which is climbed through the weakness in the headwall above. Watch out for loose rock, and piece together some great moves through the bulge and past 4 more pitons, eventually stepping left to the anchor. The crux is an awkward mantle-type move at the top of the headwall, but there's one more difficult move passing the final piton. (5.10a, 70 feet).
Protection
Quickdraws, #2-#4 Camalots. Fixed piton anchors. Rappel from the top anchor using a 70m rope, which just reaches. One could also climb this in one long pitch, but it might be pretty bad rope drag.
RSS Feed
Slideshow
