Cave Route
5.10a/b YDS 6a+ French 19 Ewbanks VI+ UIAA 19 ZA E2 5b British PG13
Avg: 2.3 from 3 votes
Type: | Trad, Alpine, 250 ft (76 m), 3 pitches |
FA: | Tom Bauman, 1969 |
Page Views: | 432 total · 11/month |
Shared By: | Kristin Tippey on Oct 10, 2021 · Updates |
Admins: | Kristin Tippey, JD Merritt, Micah Klesick, Nate Ball |
Description
Pitch 1, ~30m, 10 bolts - Start up from the notch and move left towards the first bolt. Continue straight up, avoiding loose rock and pulling moss off if you need additional footholds. Aim for an obvious cave which has belay anchors on the back wall. The bolts on this pitch are typically not easily spotted from the ground. (5.10a/b)
Pitch 2, ~25m, 8 bolts - Depart the cave on climbers left, finding the first bolt at the cave exit. This pumpy and juggy cave exit climbs on good holds and leads into a series of loose flakes on both the left and far right with a little good rock in the middle if you're lucky. Continue up passing three more bolts (the old ring piton is unreliable) and traverse left at bolt 4 across a series of loose holds towards a steeper but more solid exit on big holds. The rock is hollow, fragile and breaks off easily in this section so check your foot and hand holds before committing to them. Make your way up and left towards a small tree, passing four more clips and you'll find the next belay. Note: setting up a long anchor at the cave helps with communication and rope drag but be weary of falling rock and getting pulled up into the roof should your leader take a bad fall. (5.10a/b)
Pitch 3, ~30+m - Climb up through easy terrain with many horns and flake features. There are no bolts nor gear placements on this pitch but one could sling horns/heads which would likely break off in a long fall. The top anchors for pitch 3 are easy to miss and if that is the case, continue another ~30m to the top of the tower where there is a nest of four old bolts. (5.6/5.7)
Descent: Down climb or rappel from the summit anchors to the top of pitch 3, these anchors are easily visible from the summit of the tower. Make another short single rope rappel to the top of pitch 2. The next rappel is 46m and requires 2 ropes.
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