Dancing With Feral Debutantes

An enjoyable, moderate route to the top of the Bad Bananas formation. Shares the first pitch and part of the second pitch with Brain Full of Spiders, then climbs the striking headwall to the north of the cone-shaped structure at the west side of the buttress.

P1 (110', 5.9) See Brain Full of Spiders.

P2 (80', 5.4) From the belay, step right and up from the pedestal into a steep gully with two bolts. Sling these two bolts long and climb up onto the platform at the top left of the gully (to the right of the bush). Clip the bolt above with a sling, turn the corner and start traversing left and then up a bit through five bolts (a couple of slings will be helpful). Arrive at the belay between two bushes on a sloping ledge.

P3 (125', 5.7) Follow four bolts up and slightly leftward to the base of the headwall on the left (slinging the fourth and fifth bolts long will help with rope drag). Climb and stem up through an easy, overhanging section on big positive edges, continue through a less-than-vertical section on the same sort of edges, and then step right onto the base of the smoother, continuous-appearing section that leads to the top. The climbing gets a little tougher, but the really intimidating section is easily bypassed. Climbing left of the last smooth section on the face keeps it about 5.7; going just right of the penultimate bolt on the face is about 5.9.

Original Finish (5.7). Arrive at a narrow ledge just below the top, clip the bolt, and make a fun, airy move past the left side overhang on big holds (there is a final bolt right at the top lip, but it isn't really necessary, having started life as a rappel work bolt).

Alternative Finish (5.10c). After the last bolt on the face, climb out the steepest, airiest part of the overhang and pull over the top. There are two bolts (the first has a 24" Frost Power Draw attached).

The belay anchor is about 10 feet east on a shelf of rock about thigh-height.

Rappelling or lowering the last pitch. Note that the distance from the anchors at the bottom of the last pitch to the anchors at the top of the last pitch is approximately 125 feet. This distance is too far to lower or rappel from the anchors using a single rope. (Why rappel or lower the last pitch? Because it's the best pitch and your partner wants to lead it as well).

However, it is possible, using a 70m rope, to rappel or lower from the last bolt on the west lip of the ending overhang. Since it is a single bolt, it's a good idea to back the bolt up to the anchors. Alternatively, you could rappel to the last bolt on the lower-angled part, and the rap from that single bolt to the starting ledge.