1st Pitch: Sandy opening moves lead to big moves o...
Description
This route is a destination climb, and the finest I have done in Snow Canyon. The pitches are each distinctly different in nature, with 3/4 of them each being 2-to-3 star pitches in its own right. The position of the climb is also great, giving a nice view of the area and plenty of exposure.
Hike into Aftershock Wall and find the line of chalk and pins/bolts rising up and left on the right hand edge of a massive arch.
P1: (5.10a, 30M) Start up this first pitch on some insecure moves (5.9). These are unprotected, but close to the ground. After the initial smears, the feet come back on and the hands are locker. make a mantle and clip the first bolt. Climb up and left above the roof formed by the edge of the arch for some distance, clipping bolts and pins along the way to a fixed belay station (chains), even with the apex of the roof.
P2: (5.10c, 32M) start up above this belay on the obvious line of pins and bolts. the line goes up a few moves over the belay to reach the first clip, so be mindful not to fall on your belayer. Pass some poor rock and a little runout (2" cam may help) to reach a slightly crumbly section just below a pod and roof. Pull up and left into the pod and clip a pin around the corner to the left. Pull left onto the face (10c) and follow a line of drilled angles up and left past multiple 5.10 cruxes to reach an fixed belay anchor (chains).
P3: (5.10c, 25M) From the belay work up and right on a ramp to make some relatively easy moves (5.8, runout) to reach the first clip, perhaps 5M up. Do NOT fall before the first clip. Continue up and right to a smooth crux (10c) off of a small undercling before reaching "thank god" holds in the black Patina. Continue upwards and slightly left though an odd mantle (5.9, mental) and then up a face to reach a hidden belay (chains) below the black overhang. This is just left of a single visible bolt of the 4th pitch.
P4a: (5.9+, 30M) From the 3rd belay work up and right past a single bolt (long sling) to reach a crack system. The black patina is hard, but crisp-edged and might fracture away without careful placement of protection. Be mindful that the rope is now turning a sharp corner and might be damaged or cut in an severe or unlucky fall. Work up the crack with plentiful but somewhat tricky pro (offset nuts would have been nice) for perhaps 30M to a fixed anchor (chains) on the left. Keep an eye out or miss it. You can continue...
P4b: (5.6, 30M, S) So you've decided to continue... continue up the wall past some fun and interesting climbing, but mostly not.. past less and less gear opportunity other than some fixed slings... to the top. According to the guidebook, as you arrive on top there will be a 'difficult to find' anchor system just to climber's right of the topout (South). I did not find, nor really look for it. It's actual existence is questionable to me, considering the other errors in the book I will not digress into the discusion of, presently. Rapping from here may or may not be possible.
To descend:
From P4b: See pitch note for P4b. A walk-off may be the only real option, or perhaps walkign far enough to find the anchors on the top of something on Circus Wall.
From P4a: Rap ~30M to the anchors for P3. Not tested with a 60M Advise 2 ropes or a 70M.
From P3: Rap ~30M (less) to the anchors on P2. A single 60M line will almost certainly make it.
From P2: Rap ~30M to a set of EXTRA anchors at a height even with those at the top of P1, but to the left and above the apex of the arch. From there to the ground. Neither of these has been tested by me with a 60M rope. I again advise 2 ropes or a 70M.
I did not find or look for a top anchor. The book is ambiguous about it's possible presence. If you top out, plan on walking off just in case.
Protection
This climb is a mixed climb, with three 30-Meter pitches of 5.10 sport (in which a #2 friend can be placed at a slight runout if desired) followed by a gear pitch of 5.9+ on thin gear for either 30M to an anchor or 60M to the top. You will need at least 10 draws + equipment for each station.I fyou intend to rap the route, please consider the advice to take 2 60M ropes.
Two 60's will work fine for the rappel from part way through that last pitch. It is a fun face climb with an easy crack pitch that climbs like a face climb at the end. Every pitch is fun - especially the first two. Did this years ago as one of my first multi-pitch climbs, and it remains one of my favorites. Sort of like a poor boy's Prince of Darkness but steeper and much shorter.
edit (1-11-09) to say 1)you can do it in 3 raps with a 70 as Tony mentioned, 2)if I'd known the anchors had so much tat on them I'd have brought 3 sets of chains. The 4th pitch anchors were especially bad and we left a draw to back them up as the webbing was half-way sawed through 3)Tony is right about that hand-sized piece off the 2nd belay as the rock is... well you can imagine - really soft sandstone and plugging in a cam would be nice in case pulled off an enormous jug in there like we did. An ideal rack would be medium nuts and .3,.4,.5,.75,1,2 camalots and 4 or so long runners to supplement 10 qd's. Finally, 4)What's up with all the chopped bolts right by replaced bolts on the first pitch?
Also unlike Prince of Darkness, each pitch has its own personality. The 5.10 comes up pretty soon on pitch 1. Pitch 2 gets more wildly exposed; I've seen several leaders fall apart and hide out on the pro. For me, pitch 3 is most memorable, with that touch-it-carefully car-door flake.
By Teleman From: Steamboat Springs, CO Apr 18, 2004 rating: 5.10c
I have done this climb several times and still find it interesting, varied and fun. If you skip P3 you are missing a unique and delicate pitch. The right traverse moves almost off the deck will test your smoothness and faith in friction.
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