Bret is entering the fun face section on Klondike.
Description
Are all Devil's Tower face climbs this good??? Klondike is one long pitch of excellent face climbing on super postitive holds. Technically speaking this climb is run-out to the first bolt, but I found enough gear on the way up to feel secure. However, this is no gym climb: expect 15' stretches between bolts.
It begins a ways around the tower from the Everlasting column, just right of a crack with a chockstone and just left of a series of three progressively smaller roofs.
There are two difficult moves, but the true crux is about mid-way up the climb. It comes at a very difficult (for the grade) high step and reach to an obvious undercling (this is actually a one-foot in diameter, shallow hueco). Hint: I'm not going to tell you how to do the move, but I will say it is easier to rest standing in this hueco as opposed to underclinging it.
The climb is phenominal - it is long but I just didn't want it to end.
Protection
Bring small gear: wires through 1.5" cams. 5 or 6 bolts protect the upper half of the climb.
While I hesitate to sandbag anyone on pro, I've led this twice and don't think it warrants anything like an R. I used double ropes both times, which were very useful. Only thing that seemed maybe dicey was getting to first bolt--I put a #2 Camalot in crack to the left of the bolt (as well as pro directly below). It's not a gym climb but I didn't at all have the feeling that falling was not an option on the climb, and I think the difficult moves were very well protected (and could be easily french freed). I used a yellow alien higher on the route--probably not necessary but seemed useful. Otherwise gear up to #2 Camalot for use below the bolts.
By Brian Scoggins From: Laramie, WY May 26, 2009 rating: 5.10a PG13
I felt that the anchor was in a just creaky enough spot that you might want some pro, but a .75 camalot fits in the crack just below it. We packed doubles from blue alien up to .75, and singles of 1 and 2 camalots, and were pretty well protected. A double set of nuts might be worthwhile, but be sure to bring enough slings, otherwise the rope drag (in addition to the weight of 200 feet of rope) will be murder at the top. Probably not R rated, but it can feel that way in spots.
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