The Zephyr, AKA Zephyr Tranquilo

The Zephyr is your moderate ticket to the top of the Halidome. It follows the primary weakness up the wall and features climbing that is fun, varied, and continuous for the grade. It is tightly bolted and cleaned like a sport route, making it the most approachable long multi-pitch in the area. However, don’t get complacent! This is an alpine environment. Loose rock is always possible, and keep an eye on the weather.

Ascent:

P1, 5.9+ /10.a. Easy scrambling from the trail will take you up to a ramp. Stay on the face as you move left with the bolts, then gain the ramp, and prepare for a cool V0/V1 that will take you up to the belay ledge, 9 bolts, 70 feet.

P2, 10.a/b. Navigate two early cruxes, then enjoy cruiser climbing up to the second anchor. BACK CLEAN the 4th BOLT to reduce rope drag. This can be linked with P3 if you don’t mind a heavy rope - skip some bolts and use several alpines if you do, 17 bolts, 95 feet.

P3, 5.8 / 5.9. Easier climbing takes you to the catwalk ledge, the last 20 feet of this pitch is crossing the catwalk to the anchors, 13 bolts, 85 feet. 

P4, 10c (FA grade: 10a). Full credit goes to first ascensionists Richard Wright and Mark Tarrant for this one, and for all the incredible work they’ve done in the area. This pitch is described under King of the Mountain as a link-up connecting Cat Tracks with that route. It felt harder than 10a to us. The crux is at bolt 4 and is tougher if you’re short. Stem to get the bolt clipped, 14 bolts, 100 feet.

P5, 10a. Follow an easy slab to some neat o face climbing. This pitch easily links with P6, 11 bolts, 50 feet.

P6, 5.9+. Climb a cool dihedral before stemming through an interesting crux, 12 bolts, 60 feet.

….from here, stay left for the Tranquilo finish, or take the right bolt line to finish on Zephyr Enragé....

P7, 10.a/b. Follow the left bolt line up the dihedral to a ledge. Tricky moves take the climber up the face from here. Belay attentively. This can be linked with P8 - use a few alpines if you do, 11 bolts, 55 feet.

P8, 5.9 / 10a. Cruise the final dihedral to the top, passing two stemmy cruxes along the way, 15 bolts, 70 feet.

Descent:

Rap the route to descend. A 70m will get you down in 7 raps if you combine P6 & P5. From the P6 anchors, back straight off the ledge, and lower to the slab below. Tie knots.

With a 60m, you will need to do all 8 rappels. Tie knots on the longer pitches. Heads up at the bottom of the P5 rappel: keep hold of your rope until you are ready to pull. If you let go, it will swing away from you - hard to retrieve on a windy day.

In a pinch, walk-off is possible from the top (go climber's right to the gully, then down) and from the catwalk ledge at the top of P3 (same). Not recommended.

Park at the middle of 3 pullouts across the road from the Halidome (Al Cap pullout). Cross the highway, and take the path to your left. This leads to the base of a huge screefield. Crush it up the field towards its highest point. You may see a few cairns along the way. The scree naturally leads to an opening in the cliff line. Here the trail gets steeper and turns to dirt. Follow it left and up along the base of the Halidome. As it levels out, you will pass the start of Pandemonium on your right. The first bolt is hard to spot, but it is easy to find the open-book dihedral in which it begins. Thirty seconds later you will reach the start of The Zephyr. P1 is identifiable by a right-facing gash towards the top of the pitch. The approach time is ~35 minutes.

17 quickdraws (26 if linking, include some alpine draws). The anchors have clip’n’gos for a quick descent. Use a 70m rope (a 60m is ok, but you will do one extra rappel).