Grand Ol' Opry

Perhaps the best single pitch of metamorphic face climbing in the country,

Grand Ol' Opry

ranks among the premier elite sport climbs in the United States. With flawless stone, outstanding position, and unforgetable movement on natural holds, this line has few rivals in the genre of thin face climbing. In addition to impeccable footwork, beastly crimping power, and leather fingertips, this route demands an uncommon amount of core and compression strength for a wall that is just over vertical. When you throw in the cryptic sequences, spicy crux, alpine weather, and thin air, it becomes easy to understand how this beautiful streaked wall has managed to repel so many accomplished climbers.

The route begins from a precarious ledge at the bottom of a narrow gorge on the east side of the Vestibule. Stem across the chasm, then crank out a difficult boulder problem to gain the wall. A set of vertical pods leads to a gnarly but sinker mono, followed by a series of shouldery gastons to reach a bomber finger lock and a quick shake. More strenuous gastons work along the diagonal rail up and right to a dubious rest at a sloping tower. The next crux climbs desperately past the "razor crimp" to reach an excellent rest just below the baffling redpoint crux. Execute a burly sequence along a shallow seam to reach an awful pinch at the lower tip of the "Africa Plate". As the runout grows, mad slaps up either side of the plate culminate in an all out dyno with a 30-foot whipper in the balance. From the break, pumpy, off-balance liebacks follow the left fissure of an exquisite magenta panel to one last shake before the tricky exit moves that guard the summit.

Immediately right of

Third Millenium

, this climbs the NW face of the Magical Mystery Tower. It shares the start with

Dreamcatcher

then heads straight up to the top of the formation.

8 bolts to 2 BA.