North Face Variation  5.9

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Type:  Trad, Alpine, 4 pitches, 1500 feet, Grade III Consensus:  5.9 [details] FA:  Ray Hellinger, Jenn Riekenbeg New Route:  Yes Submitted By:  Ray Hellinger on Aug 19, 2012 You & This Route Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

Red line-NF Variation, blue line-approximate line ...

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Description 

This is a fun line with mostly good rock that is a more direct and technically more difficult than the line noted by Ormes (see photo). It has 4th class climbing for approximately 1,000 feet up slabs. Once you hit the upper headwall, you have a lot of options. The climbs look easier on the left side of the wall and seem to get harder and steeper to the right side. The rock on this upper wall can be very good.

Location 

This ascends the broad face to the east of the prominent north ridge. Many options exist.

Protection 

Bring a full range (single set) of stoppers and cams up to #3 Camalot. Pitons were very helpful (3 were left fixed due to partner not having a hammer) and would recommend bringing, at least to assure good anchors. There are lots of crack systems, but there are also very blank sections where there always seems to be seams for knifeblades.