Sunset Arete

This is an exciting line on the right end of the Lower Twin Owls. The 5.6 rating seemed miserly, and the rock seemed a bit scaly. This route starts just left of a large, right-facing dihedral and traverses out to a slab to a two bolt anchor. An Estes wind can make this more than exciting. You may be finish with the third pitch of

Tilted Mitten

. According to Gillett's guide, the overhanging arête has not gone free, yet. There are more lines to play on here (

One of Life's Little Problems

& its 5.8 variation,

Black Lichen Streak

, Second Thoughts,

Alignment of the Misaligned

, and

Thin Crack

) on a sunny, windless, late fall or winter day.

Find this line by hiking up the Lower Twin Owls trail to nadir of the Lower Twin Owls buttress (where

Tilted Mitten

starts). Continue up and right on a trail until you come to a large, right-facing dihedral which is described as an alcove in Gillett's guide and drawn in on page 212 of Rossiter's guide. It is probably 400 feet up and right from the nadir. You could TR this (with lots of directionals) after leading pitch 1 of

One of Life's Little Problems

.

Traverse left into this climb with a bulging, awkward start. You can sort of protect this with a large cam before you go left. Anchor your belayer. Make a long reach out left to a flake and get stable. Move up to a good stance. Now choose left (easier) or right (harder, 8?) until the holds run out. Now make slab moves (7?) above a small cam (blue Alien) placement to a #4 Camalot slot, sling a horn, and clip the two bolt anchor with links. It has a free hanging rappel.

Cams to #4 Camalot.