Hydra - The Stated Path

The plumb line of the wall, the center of the Universe. This climbs Hydra and finishes via the Stated Path. (I would not advise climbing the last two pitches of Hydra, by the looks of it, it’s incredibly dirty and hard to protect).. Anyhow

Pitch 1, 5.10: Start in the center of the wall at the steep smooth slab, climb the slab following old bolts through a balancy crux to an anchor, clip the anchor and continue onto the ledge, belay on the left of two anchors. Originally 10b but seems harder (75 feet)

Move the belay onto the big ledge

Pitch 2, 5.10d: To the left of an obvious bolt line is a couple bolts leading into a flake, climb the first few bolts moving into the big flake, cop a rest here and place a 0.5 or 0.75 cam and continue past two more bolts to an undercling flake, move out left following the flake and more bolts to a series of anchors on a ledge, belay at the left anchor under a steep flake and bulge.
(120 feet)

Pitch 3, 5.12: Step off the belay and climb the steep flake to a good stance clip a bolt, and make strenuous exposed moves out right to huge flakes (the next few bolts are have fixed draws), shake out and launch into a steep technical crux to good holds, continue up the bulging wall through multiple short crux’s to good holds that lead into a scoop, belay at a two bolt anchor in the scoop. Originally 5.12a but seems much harder (12b or 12b/c) (90 feet)

Pitch 4, 5.10: An interesting short pitch. Move left off the belay onto the blocky arete, climb this following 2 bolts straight up and then traverse right to a ledge following two more bolts, clip an anchor and move rightwards to belay off another anchor below a blue corner. (Note this pitch has not-so-great rock quality, climb carefully) (50 feet)

Pitch 5, 5.11: A long pitch that could be split into two. Climb up the blue corner above following a line of bolts, eventually step right and make technical moves out right onto an exposed face, continue following bolts up the white wall above until reaching an anchor. Either belay here or continue up and left on a long chossy ramp clipping one old bolt and eventually finding an anchor way out left on a good ledge. A thoughtful pitch. Originally rated 5.11- but seems a fair bit harder. (135 feet)

Move the belay 5 feet to the left to a belay bolt.

Pitch 6, 5.12b: A great pitch with a short but cryptic crux. Move left off the belay and clip a piton with a fixed draw, move left into the corner system and climb it clipping one bolt, mantle onto the top of the pillar and get stoked about the attractive wall above. Climb straight up the technical exposed wall fairly easily at first to an okay stance, pick your poison and execute a short but very thin crux that leads to better holds, continue up the wall above to a ledge with an anchor. (10 bolts, 100 feet)

Pitch 7, 5.10d: A good pitch to end the route on. Climb the easy slab above the anchor into a right facing corner, stem up the corner until the angle eventually eases off, continue up the easy wall above to an anchor situated just below the huge terrace. (10 bolts, 115 feet)

Rapping this route would be complicated and would take two ropes and not be advisable, two options:

1. Walk right along the terrace to the center of the wall, scramble through the 5.5 cliff band and walk off

2. Walk left along the terrace and rappel one of the other routes: Aeolis Mons, Yog Sothoth, Dark Matter, Zar Wall, etc

The Plumb Line of the Wall, Hydra starts directly in the center of the wall. This route has an old school feeling to it, and is definitely a bit burly.