Northwest Face  5.11+

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Type:  Trad, Alpine, 6 pitches, Grade III Consensus:  5.11+ [details] FA:  Boving and Kerns 1977 Season:  Summer Submitted By:  Zack Sinner on Sep 15, 2011 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (2) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

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Description 

The northwest face is a fun varied route up the shorter west face of SEWS. Fairly serious climbing right of the ground and multiple minor cruxes make this more of an undertaking than the west face of NEWS. However, it makes for a more adventurous and challenging route.

Pitch 1: Traverse into the steep corner and make committing 10ish moves up to a prominent ledge, groups may belay on small gear from right side of the ledge but we continued past a committing 10 move to a good belay in a small tree with pitons and cams for pro. (10ish)

Pitch 2: Continue up the right facing corner with limited feet and hard gear placement. This was rated 11a in the guide but is VERY solid for that grade. (11+)

Pitch 3: Head up a short chimney and continue right into a vegitated crack. Continue working upward past a block and into a big ledge to belay. (8)

Pitch 4: Scramble or rope up and head for the base of the prominent set of overhangs above.

Pitch 5: Climb over the pair of obvious overhangs and belay in a gully. Good pro and commiting moves. (10)

Pitch 6: Climb straight up a nice hand crack past a 9ish move and head right to the top. We belayed after the hand crack and then simuled/scrambled to the top. (9)

Location 

This route is on the climbers right looking up the gulley between NEWS and SEWS. The route starts with a short traverse over to a steep corner just below the last rap out of the gulley.

Protection 

Standard rack with extra TCUs or aliens.