Freeway 

Brilliant line. Bring your "A" game. This climb has it all! crack, face, slab, well protected, bold, etc. I think that the crux can be different for everybody because of this.

Great climb!

A few key variations to the beta here, which make this route even better.

p1: Skip it via the fixed line to the right.

p2 and p3: Link together no problem. p2 is 11a.

After the Autobahn (the traversing pitch above the roof) do the express lane finish, not the original, way better! Step down and right off the belay, but then up and then back left to the occasional bolt. 4 bolts in total where you need them, but 5.10- where there are no bolts. Heads up. Continue up the bolted face and arete to the top in one 50m pitch.

Freeway Lite is a popular variation that ends at the top of P5 as described above. Although the overall grade of the Lite version is the same as the overall route, it's considerably easier simply due to having fewer hard pitches to do. It's especially popular because of the Raptor Closures that make the pitches above the Truck Stop off limits until the end of July.

The climbing is fantastic; hard but well protected with lots of variety and sustained at a solid level between the distinct cruxes.

First ascent was by Tom Gibson and Rob Rohn - 1979 (I was there).

I think Freeway Lite gives you all the best pitches from the full route (Express Lane version), except maybe the roof pitch.

To rap Freeway Lite, you'll need two ropes.

Also, gear up before climbing the jungle-style 3rd class since the slopping, moss-ledge belay at the start of P2 isn't a great place to do so and you don't want to leave packs there since the rap route doesn't take you back there.

Freeway Original Finish. An editorial.

I'd just like to throw my two cents in about the classic finish to Freeway. Over the years I've heard numerous comments detracting from the quality of the original finish saying the Express Lanes are way better (mostly from folks who haven't done the original). Don't get me wrong the Express Lanes offer excellent climbing with superb position, the climbing is well protected and straight forward, once you've pulled the roof pitches you know you've got it in the bag.

Before the addition of the Express Lanes, Freeway was quite a bit more bad ass, you sure didn't feel home free after the roof. A classic .10d finger crack, a technical RP protected .11a stem corner, and a wide .10a crack with serious ledge fall potential still stood between you and the chains. All varied, technical, and slightly spicy climbing.

In conclusion, the Express Lanes are an easier, less committing finish that offers nice climbing. But if you really haven't done Freeway until you've done the classic finish.

End rant.

It's so good to hear some positiveness about the original finish for Freeway because I thought it was awesome. It's funny to hear that people go the other way to skip the 10d fingers, 11a thin, and 10a so as not to blow their onsight because my boyfriend tried to talk me out of it too. He had onsighted his leads and follows up to this point and didn't want me to do the 11a thin because he didn't want to fall following! I led it though, perfect for my small fingers, and he followed it (without falling) and led the 10a wide linked into the 10d arete to the top. Great route, probably my favorite and most memorable to date.

Amazing Amazing Amazing!

Swung leads up Freeway last weekend and loved it. We did the original finish and I thought it was great (though, I haven't done express lane). The first 5 pitches really beat me up which made the end feel a hell of a lot harder than I think it should have. Fell on the 11c dihedral pitch at the crux 5 times before we made it up the pitch. And the roofs are just unbelievable.

Cannot say enough about this climb. Go. Do it. Love it.