South Face

This is the second easiest route on the Maiden. It is "spicier" than the standard North Face route and will test your route finding skills, but it is nowhere near as hard as the

East Ridge

or

West Overhang

.

Scramble up the south side of the rock, and look for a ramp which rises diagonally (left, facing the rock) onto the south face. Also look for a thin crack (the route

South Crack

), which starts about 50' east of this route. Begin near a big block, and climb the ramp, until the terrain above it steepens and you can see a good place to move back right. Belay here (slings visible from below).

Here is where many people get lost. The face above is steep and unprotected, and it is not obvious the easiest way to climb it. Move up and right, following a weakness past a (very) small tree (you can belay here at a flake or continue).

A few feet above you should see an old bolt. Clip it and contemplate your fate. From here, a ramp ascends up and left, ending at some slings where people have bailed. This is not the way to go. If you look straight up, you'll see what looks maybe like a knob/jug(?) on the skyline. This in fact is a jug and marks the end of the crux. Move straight up, placing a TCU in a crack. Ponder your moves carefully, and fire up 10'-15' to the jug. It is not really that hard, but the two times I have done this route I was not sure this was the right way.

Belay on the

East Ridge

, and do one more easy pitch to the top. Enjoy the raps down. Both the raps can be done with a single 60m rope, although the first will end with less than 10' of extra rope.

Standard rack.