[Hide Comment] The bottom 4 pitches are amazing. The 1st and 4th pitches are beautiful, vertical hands to fist-sized corners (the latter finishing with a taste of offwidth) with excellent exposure and position.

There is an established way to continue and top out on the Cretaceous Area formation, but current conditions don't really seem to allow for it. Here's some info:

The 4th pitch marks the start of the Cretaceous Crack. The crack itself is about 40m long, but there is a bolted anchor station 20m up. The first 20m are hands to fists to easy offwidth. Above, it expands to a #6 cam-sized, full-on offwidth. However, as of now (winter 2014), the upper section of offwidth is completely slathered in a thick layer of bird poop (measurable thickness) on both sides. You can forge onward through it; we saw evidence of a foot skid in the crap above. If you manage to surmount the bird crap, there are two pitches above to the top: a runout 5.10 pitch and a dirty 5.7 pitch that will put you atop the sandstone tower/formation.

The classic pitches are definitely the lower ones, but if you are determined to get to the top of the cliff, be prepared for some interesting adventure climbing. Dec 27, 2014

[Hide Comment] Would not recommend continuing past pitch 4
Bird poop section is fun though Mar 7, 2016

[Hide Comment] First pitch is the best hand crack in Liming, with a bit of lay-backing and bolt-clipping to mix things up.

The "second pitch" is really just a bolt ladder extension to the first. I skipped half the bolts even aiding it, kinda silly how many there are. You could also free it if you really wanted to.

Somehow nobody has mentioned the incredibly scary detached slab that you have to squeeze in behind if going right for the 3rd pitch. Hopefully it doesn't come off on top of anyone - unlikely given the position of the belay above and left of the 1st pitch anchor.

The bolts on the "aid" section for the variation up and left are very widely spaced, so slings would be required (aiders would be ideal) to get from bolt to bolt and then into the crack. Free climb it if you like featureless slabs.

Fourth pitch, if just going to the first anchor, requires two #4's and one #5. A bit tricky to figure out how to climb the first bit, then cruiser up the hands section into the off-width which can be avoided using face holds in the honeycombing.

When rapping from the top of the 3rd pitch to the top of the 1st, be careful not to get your rope stuck between the detached slab and the right-hand wall. We got it stuck and had to aid back up and climb back behind that teetering death-block... Nov 10, 2016

[Hide Comment] Updated April 2018:

- Upper part of the route has cleaned up significantly. While the OW still has some calcite/bird shit mix, it has been reduced significantly from traffic. Definitely worth the outing if you brought a #6.

- The pitch above the Cretaceous Crack (described as P5 in the book) got a significantly cleaning from climbers back in November 2017. It no longer is "R" rated climbing (as you might see in the most recently published Liming guidebook) now that most of the loose rock has been removed. Enjoyable, interesting 5.10 climbing with plenty of opportunities for pro.

- Topping out the formation is possible, though not it requires some adventure and delicate climbing. Lots of dirt and sparse protection for the lower part of the pitch leads (but easy, around 5.7) into the vegetated top of the formation. It basically entails getting marginal gear and making a spooky move to a small tree before relenting into lower-angle terrain. Definitely a full-on adventure if you are excited to top out the formation, but expect rope drag and dirt. Otherwise, just rap from the P6 anchor. Apr 14, 2018

[Hide Comment] Great route with unique pitches and beautiful view. I think the A0 rating is unwarranted as it can be freed at 10- easily, both the 2nd and beginning of the 3rd pitch go free with some face moves. The 3rd pitch right variation is super cool and going behind the giant leaning block is scary but I don’t think it will go anywhere anytime soon. You dont weight it in any significant way. Can reach bottom in 2 rappels with 70m, rappel 4th pitch (half) to top of 2, then 2 to ground. May 2, 2018

[Hide Comment] Some beta on the full climb as of Feb 2018:

P1: Super fun and aesthetic hand crack

P2: extremely short 5.10 traverse to gain a better belay ledge (recommend linking P1&2)

P3: traverse face left at stout 10+/11 friction to avoid block mentioned in other comments. Gains a fun hand crack.

P4 lite: OW climbing begins but does not feel too desperate due to ample face holds. Stop at anchor and rap if you are not experienced in 5.10 wide.

P4 full: OW now requires some wide technique with mandatory chicken winging and some foot stacking. There is a bolt right above/at the crux and we did not need a #6. Bird poop wasn’t too noticeable.

P5: fun, varied 5.10 crack climbing. We did not use chimney technique as there was a clean crack to climb. An anchor caps this pitch and we recommend stopping here to rap.

P6: poorly protected brush/dirt/tree groveling to gain...a brushy, dirty topout. Calling it 5.7 give the impression that this pitch is “rock” climbing :) If you get this far, note that you must rappel Elephant Riders (follow a faint trail and slab to climbers left) or walk off. Feb 13, 2019

[Hide Comment] For those interested: if you choose the adventurous top-out pitch of Soul's, you DO NOT have to do the long walk-off down the Orange Sky/Space Mountain gully.

If you top out, follow the cliff edge to the climber's left, keeping the edge of the cliff in-sight. If you hit it correctly, there will be a small-ish, but stout tree about 50-60 meters meters left of the Soul's top-out. Basically, you are looking for the lowest point on the cliff to the climber's left, which marks the Elephant Riders top out. That small tree will have some webbing around it's base.

Rap from the tree to the bolt station about 17 meters down the cliff. Then, rap to the base of the chimney (marked by a nice, flat ledge on the climber's right side of the chimney as the top of P3). Next, rap the Elephant Ear. You MUST clip the lowest bolt on the pitch of the ear as a redirect. Reach the tree belay of P2 and fix a grab line for your partner. Rapping P2 and P1 are straightforward. 70m rope recommended. Mar 17, 2019

[Hide Comment] Never had the time to do the whole climb but the first pitch is awesome and makes a good warmup for Wind of the Valley. Feb 3, 2020

[Hide Comment] Climbed March 2024

Upper pitch 4, and pitch 5 has bird poop but is very dry and not bothersome.

Pitch 5 Does not need larger cams.

When rappelling, watch for rope being stuck on chockstone on pitch 4 crack. 4 rappels with a 65m rope from to of pitch 5. Apr 7, 2024