A super-fun route on the west face. This is apparently a good way to summit on the west face, but most parties do not climb beyond the 2nd pitch. The description here only includes the 1st 2 pitches. The 1st pitch is very popular.
This climb can be identified by the prominent roof on the first pitch. The 2nd pitch is directly left of the column forming the left wall of El Matador's stem box.
P1- beginning just to the left of the start of El Matador, scramble easily up to a flake below the obvious roof. The right-hand variation around the roof is the HONG VARIATION (11b) while the left hand variation is 5.9+. Climb the thin hand crack on the left over the bulge (crux). Continue upward past some fun stemming to a bolted belay.
P2- From the belay, the crack heading directly upward to the top of the El matador column is 11c. The W Face Variant takes the crack on the left over a large roof to the steep, endless hand crack above.Climb up the left hand crack and pull the very-difficult roof (crux)... a stem-rest comes right afterward. The roof is protected by a bolt though excellent gear can be placed in the crack. Now that the crux is over, continue more easily, though relentlessly, up the hand crack. This is a long and very-sustained hand-crack... stemming helps.
Continue upwards to the summit (my guess is this isn't done too often) or 2 double rope raps to the ground
Protection
Lots of nuts... double set of cams up to #3.5 friend. A #4 friend can be placed at the top of pitch 2. Extra hand sized gear for pitch 2, though I felt solid backcleaning gear and 2 sets seemed sufficient.
A very fine route. Don't hang out at the roof- just place gear and go for it. Trust me - pulling the roof isn't nearly as bad as hanging out underneath wasting energy! I was trying to be mr. trad and didn't clip the bolt at the roof, but my second got super frustrated on acount of the rope getting sucked into the roof crack, thereby foiling his efforts to pull thru... so it might not be a bad idea for the leader to clip that bolt with a short draw just to help out the second.
Climbed this route at the end of may, and it is AWESOME! One of the best routes I have ever done! My partner Matt and I did all 5 pitches to the summit well worth it! The first 4 pitches are amazing. Lose rock only found on the last pitch, but trip to the summit was well worth it. Also FOUND MEMORY CARD on the big ledge at the end of third pitch, if want returned let me know.
West Face
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