Precipitation is located on the face between Turnkorner and The Nose and starts 20 ft or so left of the HUGE flake leaning against the wall. From there it continues upward to the great roof which holds the exposed zig zag crux pitch.
Yes, some may not agree with the three stars I gave this route, but I really dug it. The free climbing is full-on sandbag yet of high quality. Plus ,the aid crux through the roof is super exposed and one of the best positions on Lumpy!
Contrary to what the guidebooks say, here is how I found the pitches to be rated. P1= 5.9 P2= C1 or solid 5.10?? P3= C1 or 5.9/5.10???(but don't quote me on that!) P4= C2/+? and P5 and up- follow The Nose route to the top or continue straight up the last A3 pitch of Firebird.
P.S. - send your tallest partner to make the big Laton Kor reach in the middle of the C2 roof!
Protection
Thanks to some fixed pins and clean aid gadgets, this route can and should continue to go hammerless. Bring a standard clean aid rack up to a #4 Camalot. One cliff hanger hook and don't forget a big (or long?) cam hook for the inverted placement at the crux near end of roof. However, those new 2cams by Splitter Gear may do the trick there also? Note: belay at top of pitch 2 is not the best but its doable, but the belay on the top of pitch 4 (at end of roof) is bunk! This belay has one pin sticking half way out and two antique Kor bolts which need replacement, yikes! I was able to back this anchor up a bit, but new bolts are needed.
Freeclimbed the 1st three pitches to the roof the other day. Pitch 1 is 5.9. P2 is 5.10+ with some thin pro. P3 is 5.10-. We rapped from here with two 60m ropes to the webbing at the top of P1. I'd give the 1st 3 pitches a star or two.
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