Rawlpindi

"Rawlpindi" begins at the major/obvious corner system some 30 meters left and slightly uphill from the start for "Birdland". Ascend three pitches of 5.7 up the corner (good protection,good belay stances-- a couple of short bulges make the first two pitches fun). It is likely that these first two pitches were climbed in the 1980s. The third pitch is short and ascends a weird chimney to exit behind a chockstone (tight) and unto a ledge system that extends right unto the Birdland face. After exiting the chockstone squeeze,leave the corner system and traverse about 10 feet right on the ledge system to belay.

   Pitch 4 (175') ascends the main Birdland face to the right of the corner system.  Climb to a protection bolt on a small white face about 30 feet above the pitch 3 belay.  From the bolt go up to a diagonal ledge/crack system (good #3-4 Friend placements).  Follow this ledge/crack up and a bit right 20 feet to just below and left of an overhanging black flake with white calcium deposits beneath it.  There you will find a series of solution pockets/holes going straight up (steep), the pockets take medium to large size cams (#3,#4 Friends).  When the solution pockets/holes end, bear right and upwards (another protection bolt) to the bolted station just below a small triangular shaped arch.   

   Pitch 5 (90') ascends straight up from the pitch 4 hanging belay.  A slider nut or very small cam is useful to protect the first 10 feet off of the anchors (perfect horizontal micro crack).  Follow various cracks straight up over the small triangular arch (well protected with stoppers in a horizontal crack at the base of the arch) to a small ledge.  Avoid climbing over the arch at its apex as there is a loose block that must be avoided.  From here ascend a white face with a small crack system on the left until you reach a good ledge with a bolted station.  This pitch is well protected with medium stoppers.  Rappel pitches 5 and 4 to the bolted anchors on pitch 3 of "Birdland."  Two 50 meter ropes are needed to reach the "Birdland" pitch 3 anchors from the top of pitch 4 of "Rawlpindi".  Continue to rappel "Birdland" to the ground.

"Rawlpindi" essentially climbs the corner system to the left of the "Birdland" face. At the end of pitch 3 it moves right to climb the center of the "Birdland" face to end some 40 feet left and about 20 feet above pitch 5 of "Birdland." This route is certainly as good in terms of enjoyable 5.7 climbing as "Birdland". Pitch 4 requires some expertise when it comes to placing protection. "Rawlpindi" can also be climbed from the top of pitch 3 of "Birdland", although pitches 1-3 of "Rawlpindi" are quite enjoyable.

A standard rack of nuts and cams. Some small nuts for pitch 4. Medium to large Tri-Cams or medium to large cams for protecting the pockets/holes on pitch 4 (no larger than Friend #4). A medium slider nut for protection off of the belay on pitch 5.