The Venturi Effect

The Venturi Effect is a spectacular line, maybe the best of it's grade in the Sierra (or California, or the US...?) Continuously difficult, the bulk of the climbing is sustained 5.11, with plently of vicious, well-protected 5.12 cruxes. Do this route right now!

P1 starts at a thin flake with a bolt on the right side of the "Triangular recess". It's not the wider crack that forms the actual right side of the triangle (that's "Eye of the Storm"), but just to it's left. It's hard right off the deck, but hey, that's what you signed up for! 11+

P2 Easier climbing (5.10-) to the "Terrace" ledge (link with P1 using 70m rope).

P3 From the right side of the "Terrace" Ledge (shared with Positive, Sunspot, etc), look for a bolt towards the right (older topos show a pin that was replaced by a bolt in 2018). Traverse past the bolt and around the corner, climbing a vertical, flared crack. 11+, a bit spicy. 2 bolt anchor at a stance below the beautiful corner.

P4 The stellar corner! Make some exciting moves up and left to gain the corner (5.11), and then battle you're way up it with every corner technique you've ever even dreamed of. Probably the best pitch, anywhere. 5.12

Belay at some fixed gear atop the corner.

P5 Up, past some committing lie-backing, and then step left and wander over to Positive Vibes. Climb it to the Bivy Ledge. 5.11

P6 A short, easy pitch to a two bolt anchor on a good stance. Start as for Positive, then bear right. 5.10-

P7 The start of the fantastic "Sheild" Pitches. You're aiming for a splitter with 2 bolts, which has bouldery 12a crux. Belay at the first 2 bolt anchor.

P8 A good long pitch, past one older 2 bolt station. Up high, there are plenty of new bolts, but the crux comes at the only old bolt (?) (5.12) At the end of the splitter, traverse left to a 2 bolt anchor.

P9 Up a flared, thin splitter, then past 2 bolts (5.12). Traverse the short roof on its right, and gain a overhanging splitter on the right side of the arete (killer position!) Climb up maybe 10-15' to a fixed nut, then make tricky (not so obvious) traverse right into a splitter on the face. Climb it, then pull crux thin slabby moves past two bolts to the belay (5.12)

P10 Climb up the flake to clip a bolt, and then downclimb and traverse right into the splitter. Jam and lieback into "The Venturi" a cool inset roof feature, past a few bolts (11+) Stem past the rooves (5.10) to gain the Crow's Nest ledge.

P11 Direct finish follows the obvious flared splitter to the ridgeline. Original finish cuts right on easy 5th to astrohulk. (5.11+)

To descend either Rap (70m rope) or continue on the ridge to the summit for the last 2 red dihedral pitches.