Unemployment Line

The meat of the route is a 450' aesthetic flake system on the otherwise blank right side South Face. The grades listed below are my best guess and are not meant to sandbag anyone. I believe these are the honest grades that consensus will reach as the route sees more traffic.

Pitch 1 - 5.10 - 160 feet

Start up a thin dihedral with a bush at the start, then out or around a small A-frame roof to another dihedral with thin to good fingers to a 2 bolt belay (only bolted belay on the climb).

Pitch 2 - 5.11+, 150 feet - 4 bolts

Traverse up and right to a bolt then continues right to a crumbly corner (5.7), then to a good ledge and three bolts (crux) traversing to the right to a ledge at the base of a dihedral. Belay takes hand-size gear.

Pitch 3 - 5.11+, 70 feet

Head straight up the dihedral to the start of the flake system, then undercling to the left into a radical sustained undercling fingerlock traverse to a ledge with a tree. Belay takes hand-size gear and a #4 BD.

Pitch 4 - 5.11+, 90 feet

Undercling/jam out the awkward flake to pumpy hand jams then powerful liebacking passed 4 fixed nuts. Belay at a stance as the flake turns lower angle, or better yet, combine with Pitch 5. Belay takes finger- and thin hand-size gear.

Pitch 5 - 5.11, 50 feet

Continue up the flake to a thin crack crux through a short roof. Belay on a good sloping ledge. Belay takes hand-size gear.

Pitch 6 - 12-, 130 feet

Jam/lieback up the wide slightly expando pancake flake (5.9) saving a #4 BD for the belay. After a stance, head up the stellar big fingers to thin hands corner (5.11-) to another stance. Fire up good fingers to a thought-provoking undercling flake (crux) to a "thank God" slam dunk jug. Cruise up to a good ledge. Belay takes #3 and bomber #4 BD cams.

Pitch 7 - 5.10, 180 feet

Scramble up and right through a bush, then straight up a short awkward dihedral (5.10), then 3rd class through some trees straight up to the base of a thin corner. Belay at one of the trees.

Pitch 8 - 5.9 or 5.6, 160 feet

Climb up the corner to a ledge and a bush, then choose your own adventure left to the original 5.9 lieback, or right through 5.6 fingers then straight up through ever widening low-angle cracks to the summit ledge. Belay at a big tree.

The route is on the right side of the South Face on Mount Broderick and can be seen from the top of Vernal Falls. For the approach and descent, see the area overview for Mount Broderick.

Rack: RP's, (3 ea.) finger and hand sizes, (1) #4 BD cam