Southeast Ridge  5.6 PG13

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Type:  Trad, Alpine, 4 pitches, 500 feet, Grade II Consensus:  5.6 [details] FA:  ??? Submitted By:  Bill Lawry on Mar 21, 2010 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (5) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

BETA PHOTO: Pulpit SE Ridge

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Description 

Hill's guide indicates this is a 5.2 route but it's really 5.6-ish by today's standards. PG-13 is for our P3 where the chimney / offwidth appeared not easy to protect unless one carries unusually large gear; see "Protection" below.

We climbed this route in mid-March, two days after a snow storm. The route had quite a lot of snow and all of our party of four stayed in approach shoes / boots until the chimney or off-width pitch.

P1: ~200 feet of 4th class. From the toe at the La Luz Trail, ascend the ridge until just before a distinct notch in the ridge. We did this unroped and so am uncertain of the length. Hill's guide shows a 5.6 variation out on the west face which we did not explore (i.e., "Express Lane Variation" - Brian Holcomb, Mark Fuge, 10/88).

P2: ~100 feet, 5.5. Cross the notch and then up to where the ridge goes vertical / bulges. Escape to right side of ridge to an easy hand crack. Ascend the crack up and further right to a large pod and belay.

P3: ~100 feet, 5.6. Escape the pod by ascending up and rightward to a chimney or offwidth. Now ascend this to its top and belay at boulders at left on top of the ridge, or belay at tree further left (i.e., west) of the ridge. Note: There are other easier variations - see 9/7/2011 comment below.

P4: ~130 feet, 5.6 or 5.7. Continue to the summit. We stayed on the ridge itself, finding one or two tricky moves near the west face at a point visible from the belay at the top of P3: 5.7? - foot work! ... and there may be an easier way a bit to climber's right. Note: Turns out there is an easier way to the right - see 9/7/2011 comment below.


Hill's guide shows a 5.6 var out on the west face which we did not explore.

Location 

Start where the La Luz Trail is just south of the toe of the ridge. We started in the gully and then crossed left to the ridge proper.

Protection 

Standard rack. If leading at your limit, it would be good to have something large to protect the first move or two up the chimney / offwidth which is between 8 and 10 inches (?) in width.

Photos of Southeast Ridge Slideshow

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BETA PHOTO: Off-width on the 3rd pitch

View of Albuquerque from 3rd pitch