- Edit (TBD)
Description
This is a three pitch line up the middle of the left side of Upper Great Face. It has good position and climbing, a mix of sport and trad, and the potential for big bonus points by doing both the 3rd pitch of this climb and the 2nd of
Golden Monkey
. Kimball calls this route "The Crown Jewel of the area."
P1: Follow 10 or 11 bolts diagonaling right up non-slabby face climbing. The crux is at a roof/bulge midway where the bolts happily get closer together. Belay at bolts. 5.10, 100'.
P2: Follow bolts traversing right to a right-facing corner type feature where the climbing gets easier and you place your own protection. We thought getting to the first bolt was the crux. Belay at bolts at the base of a narrow left facing corner. 5.9, 90'. (Note:
Golden Monkey
P2 starts about 10' below and 10' right of TBS P2 belay bolts.)
P3: Follow the corner which is at present somewhat licheny. (This corner is shown in the action photo under the route Tribal Regions on Lower Great Face.) Crux is at a bulge midway. At the end of the corner either veer left and belay on a ledge, among blocks and next to a small tree (this is what we did) or after the corner, cut straight right to find the anchor bolts atop
Golden Monkey
; the second option could be problematic as far as rope drag, route finding and protecting the second.
Descent: Either walk off (see Gillett for details), rap from a very sketchy sling set up around the tree mentioned in the P3 belay description or do a mini pitch, traversing right, to the
Golden Monkey
P2 anchor bolts which are about 10m right/south and 2m lower than the regular P3 belay ledge. A 60m rope is the bare minimum needed to rap.
Location
This is about 20' left of the start of
Golden Monkey
or, very roughly 200' right of the top of The Enclosures. Note there are two lines of bolts in this vicinity, TBS takes the right one.
Protection
At least 12 QDs for P1 and a rack heavy on small to medium nuts and finger size cams for P3. You could considerably lighten the rack if you choose to do
Golden Monkey
P2 instead of TBS P3.