Heavy Metal

Heavy Metal is an excellent route that goes up an exposed arete for the majority of its length. The rock is pretty good for the most part, but there are a couple loose, dirty or hollow sections to tread lightly on along the way.

P1) Joe Dirte (5.10), 2 bolts; .2, .3.  Begins from the Internet Cafe ledge about 10’ above the hill. Start by climbing a short tree to access a thin left facing dihedral. The crux is the traverse around the arete at the end of the pitch. 16 meters.

P2) The Step Across (5.12), 8 bolts, full rack.  Begin straight up above the left belay bolts and gain the left arete. After a few bolts, step across the chimney (Jam Band) and traverse to the other arete and around it to gain a steep finger crack.   When the crack ends, a few more bolts lead up the arete to a small belay ledge with a tree. 32 meters

P3) Bob Marley’s Boulder Problem (5.13-), 2 bolts, V-thread, 2.  (Nice to pre-hang draws on this pitch with an additional extra long clip on the second bolt).  Begin up a short easy left facing dihedral and access the arete above.  Short and technical.  Ends at the Butt Rock Bivy. 10 meters.

P4) Metal (5.12), 12 bolts, .5 - 1.  Follow the mostly bolted arete up to a small stance. 30 meters.

P5) The Onion (5.12-) 8 bolts, .5, 1, 2.  Don’t peel the onion! Start up the arete, traverse left to gain a shallow dihedral and then follow the roofs up and right back to and around the arete to a steep (hollow and bolt protected) jam crack. Finally, back to around the arete to a small belay ledge.  25 meters.

P6) The Green Pitch (5.12) 9 bolts, full rack.  Begin by climbing a hollow shallow dihedral until possible to traverse up and right to gain a roof.  Above the roof is the crux and above the crux the climbing eases to (5.9), but is a bit hollow. Ends on the Stage, aka the End of the Sidewalk. 30 meters.

P7) Walk (5.0) 1. (Hand-line fixed across this pitch)  Mostly just a belay station move, but there is a single move above the belay to get onto the Stage proper and then a walk across.  12 meters.

P8) Exit Sandman (5.10) 2 bolts, .4 - 2, 6 helpful.  The original finish.  Traverse right to gain the easy offwidth and then a sandy mantel gains the exit dihedral and the top of the wall.  30 meters.

P8) (Independent variation) is to take the “Heavier” pitch that is just left of the Stage and goes at (5.12b),  5 bolts, gear from .2 - 2 with extra in the thin.  30 meters.  5 bolts up a steeper face leads to a thin crack and the summit.

The is the arete that is just skiers right of Sandman.

Begin by rappelling in on Sandman’s top pitch and then follow the hand line down past the tree to find the start of the raps down the arete.

All anchors are equipped for rappelling.

A single 70 meter gets you down.

Rack:

Singles: .2 - 2 camalot (extra .4 - .75 useful)

small - medium stoppers

12 - 15 draws/ runners

extra .2 - .4  if doing the Heavier exit

70 meter rope