Type: Trad, 215 ft (65 m), 2 pitches
FA: Ed Webster, Maria Hannus, May 1995
Page Views: 1,140 total · 10/month
Shared By: Robert Hall on Oct 8, 2014
Admins: Jay Knower, M Sprague, Lee Hansche, Jeffrey LeCours, Jonathan S, Robert Hall

You & This Route


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Warning Access Issue: You may see the Peregrine Falcons closure signs for Painted Walls on the approach path to Rainbow but, so far, Rainbow has always remained open. DetailsDrop down

Description Suggest change

Just the most wonderful, clean, white rock with excellent protection....although it was not always this way. The first time I climbed it the original drilled-on-the-lead 1/4" bolts were the pro! Soon these were replaced with 3/8". I gave this an additional star over the "consensus 3-star" Perfect Wave because there's nearly twice as long a section of climbing-at-the- grade. Many consider it a 5.7+ for this reason. If you’re short, clipping bolt #1 might have a bit more challenge. 

Approach - Same as for Tsunami. [From where the climber's path reaches the slab, walk right along the base about 35-40 ft. Go uphill to a dirt ledge below a brownish 12ft-high slab. Scramble or belay-climb up the 12 ft face to a large ledge with a couple of pine trees, one of which is knocked over.]

This can be led in one long pitch with a 70M rope. Those with 60M ropes have three choices:

1) Belay about 50-60 ft up where two solution pocket holes take large & med. cams. The holes are located just beyond the left end of the 'overlap-flake' that arches from the Super-Slab/Crazy Woman Driver belay; this is about 10 ft below, and slightly right of, "Cruise's" first bolt. [see "Tsunami Ledge" Route Photo] or...

2) Both leader and second symul-climb at the end. Both are on fairly easy rock...

3) Above the 3rd bolt move right (Red Camalot in hole protects the second) about 35 ft to a double bolt anchor.  This anchor is about 40-50 feet directly below a prominent crack in the large overlap that runs above the top of the slab.  

P1 - From the right end of the Tsunami ledge climb up and very slightly left-ish (see Tsunami Ledge topo and photo) passing by the two holes about 50-60 feet up (optional "60 meter belay, see above.) Clip the first bolt (it's "high") and climb straight up past two more bolts.   5.7+  210-215 ft (63-65 m) to the trees, 200+/- ft to the dbl bolt anchor on the right.

Descend - Again, 3 options

1) The "classical" - There is a rap station on a tree that allows for a double-60M-rope rap back to the "Tsunami" tree ledge. You may have to downclimb a few feet to reach the ledge itself.   Two possible single-rope raps are described below:

2) Alternate Single Rope Descent: A "new" double bolt rap station is located 40 ft below and about 40 ft to climber's right of the Cruise Control tree rap. (It is 40+/- ft directly below a prominent crack in the 4-5ft high overlap at the top of the slab.) To get there, move right from the 3rd bolt (a Red Camalot in a 'hole' protects the second) on an upwards diagonal. (Or make a 50 ft diagonal rap from the tree to this station.)  From this bolted anchor, make a 90 ft rap to the Crazy Woman Driver/Super Slab belay/rap, then downclimb 5.2 for 60+/- ft, or rap diagonally left, back to the Tsunami Ledge (or, with a 70m rope, BUT NOT A 60m !) one rap to the ground at the base of Bonzai.)

3) Single Rope Descent via Perfect Wave/Silver Surfer raps: move 40+/- ft to climber's-left of the Cruise Control rap-tree to the rap route of Silver Surfer's Rap line.  The first rap is off 2 bolts with rings, the 2nd goes off a dbl bolt anchor at the Silver Surfer Belay (about 20 left of Perfect Wave's flake) The 3rd rap starts by a tiny tree about 20-25ft climber's/rappeller's left of the "fall line" from the 2nd anchor.

Protection Suggest change

A gold (#2) Camalot-sized cam goes in one of the "holes" (check for wasps!) before the 1st bolt.  A #1 (Red) Camalor-sized cam is useful if you are planning on going to the dbl bolt anchor to the right of the 3rd bolt.

Photos

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