The Lateral Fin 

I'm sure this description could use editing so please tell me and I'll change it.

The 4th pitch could go, or may have already been done clean. Cam hooks are the ticket. It's spectacular, a long exposed face crack...one of the best positions in the canyon.

P.S. The first bolt (buttonhead) on the 4th pitch was not part of the first ascent. The bolted belay at the end of the pitch wasn't either.

The 4th pitch goes free, or clean if you are aiding it.

Free? By Who? How hard was it? ...Wow

Edit:

Great Job! On the 4th pitch, it must have been fun getting to the first bolt...you did have that feeble looking 30+ year old fixed nut to catch you if you popped making the clip.

I thought you and lance freed this. sketchy pro though - those buttonheads spin in the wind and everything.

All the moves have gone free, but a redpoint as far as I know has not happened yet. It definitely goes free, but I am not sure a clean free ascent has been accomplished yet. I posted the message because it for sure goes and I think nailing pins on that pitch would be a bad idea. Some nice, fat, new bolts to replace the 1/4"ers would be great.

Cool! What gear would help that thing go clean and what grade do you think it would be? Brian had a topo from his ascent 30 years ago and there were 4? more fixed pins on that pitch. The fixed nut is also from the FA and its amazing it didn't blow - if it would have things would have gotten desperate real quick with the sketch anchor and no gear below him for a while. When we replace those bolts we oughtta repace the anchor too. way nutter up there.

thanks for posting up! s

November 23, 2008... A free ascent of all pitches of the Lateral Fin was completed today. It is an excellent line with sustained, high quality climbing. Lance led the 11d bulge pitch, I followed it free. I led the middle pitch, and Lance also led the crux pitch (which to my knowledge hasn't had a previous free ascent... I tried to do my homework). I also followed that pitch free. We put in a good belay station below the crux pitch, but left the old bolts and pin there for historical interest. I also replaced the two rusty quarter inch bolts on the crux pitch. At the top of the final pitch, we put in an anchor on a stance up and left of a bush. The route is in great shape to climb free.

Pitch 1- Same as description above. 115'
Pitch 2- Climb the steep, right leaning bulge. Pumpy! 5.11d 100'
Pitch 3- Same as description above. 100'
Pitch 4- Climb up and right to a fixed pin, then up to a fixed nut(hammered in). Climb up past two bolts (crux) to a sustained 5.10 crack passing a few fixed pins. After passing a tricky break in the crack, the difficulties ease. Climb up to a two bolt belay on a stance near the top of the buttress.

To descend, make a 60 meter rappel and then 3 35 meter rappels down to the base of the dorsal fin.

For gear we had one set of camalots from #00 to #4, and a set of stoppers. It would probably be good to bring a few extra pieces from small to medium for the final pitch.

This is a great climb! Get up there before the weather gets bad! Sunday was about as perfect as an LCC day can be.

Nice work Lance and Ben! Very proud!

proud! nice work fixing the place up too. The fin continues to amaze.

I was wondering if that's what you guys were up to. We were a pitch up on the Fin Arete when 4 people showed up (mad crowds on the Fin, the place is getting way popular!) and a couple of them disappeared around the corner mentioning something about the Lateral. A bit later I heard someone scream and figured some crazy shit was going down on the other side of the formation... Strong work guys!

Now that it has gone free...I wonder if folks will get ticked off if people continue to aid it...it sounded like a good practice aid climb.

I was on the Lizard Head wall when you guys were working on this. We watched from the road for a few minutes and it looked so dang rad! Way to go...major props to you guys!

It's amazing how some people say that all the great adventures in LCC/BCC/RC/AF are gone...but so many incredible things keep getting done.

criscokid said
"Now that it has gone free...I wonder if folks will get ticked off if people continue to aid it...it sounded like a good practice aid climb."

People getting ticked off isn't the issue. Clean aid vs. nailing it is the issue. Sounds like the last pitch can go on clean aid now, so no more nailing should be the norm. As long as folks aiding it follow the accepted standards there shouldn't be any problems.

I think it definitely is still a great line to do with aid. Plus, the bolted belays are much safer now, and we left the fixed pins in place for pro and for aiding it. I believe it should be done clean now, but with tiny nuts and some trickery, I think it would be a great clean aid climb, especially with the up-to-date bolts and belays. Many small tcu's would be very useful.

Oh yeah...all clean is the way to go.

So after talking to Brian we agreed that if people read the comments they'll realize it is a clean aid route now. You need to know its a runnout clean route though. The fixed wired nut is over 30 years old, getting to it is for real and there aren't any options below it and the piton below the mantle.

I can change the description if you guys would like but I'm thinking about leaving it as is for historical purposes. I'll do whatever you guys think.

This would be a stout .12a/b for most leaders. I'm psyched to get back on it but I wonder if Ben and Lance realize how strong they actually are.

Yeah, I'm sure the route is pretty solid for 12b. I thought the gear was okay. At the pin below the mantle you can also get a good 3/4" tcu and equalize it with the pin. The 30 year old hammered in nut actually seems pretty good(the cables look like they are still in good shape) and the move to get to the first bolt is about 5.10. Then the crux is well protected by bolts. Above the crux it stays pretty hard for a bit, but there are some fixed pins that seem good and some good tcu and nut placements as well.