The Main Line

I'm not sure why this route hadn't made it onto The Project yet. I always thought that when it was perma-fixed with lines, you didn't necessarily want to draw the crowds. However, the new guidebook is out, the fixed lines are down, and the secret's out! Go climb this thing! It is the best multi-pitch at the grade in Pine Creek!

Pitch lengths are all roughly 35m. Belays are all bolted. Many pitches can be linked with a 70m rope.

P1, .10b- Start at a left-facing crack at the toe of the buttress. Difficult undercling moves with poor feet get you into easier terrain. Move left across the face, clipping two bolts. Balancy moves get you into the thin, flaring tips crack. Difficulties ease once established in the crack.

P2, .7- Head up into the chimney/corner feature. Move towards the roof and bypass on the left. Low angle hand crack leads to a ledge and belay.

P3 & 4, .9- Follow the right facing corner, bypassing another roof to the right. Pass and anchor, and continue up through a splitter double crack corner and anchor. To link these pitches with a 70m, you will need to do about 20' of easy simul-climbing.

Move 200' through the deep, black chimney. This is 3rd class. Find an anchor on the right side. You are aiming to get back into the right facing feature, only on the right of the black chimney/dike.

P5, .7- Continue up the black chimney for 20', then clip a bolt and move right back onto the gold rock. Fun climbing up flakes brings you to another bolt, and a traverse right back into the crack. Find a ledge and belay.

P6, .8- Continue up the corner and crack, through a couple overlaps. The belay anchor here is really a rappel anchor, and a long move across a ledge puts you into a better position to belay the next pitch.

P7, .10a- Move across a ledge, pulling over a couple short blocks, towards the obvious right facing dihedral. Climb the left hand of the two crack, and move back right at the top of the feature. Continue right, to another right facing corner. Jam your way to another great ledge and belay.

P8, .10b- Move up the left hand side of the alcove, traverse right, and pull over the bulge. Be careful through here, as there are still some large loose flakes above the roof. Easy climbing takes you to a bolt, and a cool "eye" feature in the rock. Move into a thin, shallow crack. Tricky moves get you established. Continue up the sustained thin crack with good pro (nuts useful).

P9, .7- Head up cracks to the right of the anchor, then move left into the chimney feature.

P10, .8- Stem across, or chimney up right through wide cracks. A couple awkward moves get you established. Climb the wide cracks on the outside using a mixture of face holds or laybacks. A couple of bolts provide some protection.

To descend, rappel the route making 10 35m rappels. Pay attention to a couple of the rappels however. When rappelling P6, try and pull the rope to the right. There is a lot of potential for stuck ropes here. Also, while rappelling P3, move right to pull.

This route is about 150' to the right of the toe of Tai Tower. It is also starts left of the black chimney/dike feature.

Single rack 0.3-3" (Purple C3 to #3 C4), set of small to med nuts. More gear may be appreciated to link pitches.