Northeast Cutoff

This is NUMBER 1 on the topo. It is a great climb for beginning leaders.

Start in the vertical crack seen at the tip of the arrow. You'll come to a wide pod about 25' off the ground. Head right from here, and continue up about 20' past this. Protect here and cross over to the upper crack (this is NE Cutoff), the one that heads directly towards the belay on the topo. Protect along the way, paying particular attention to your second - if they fall, they pendulum on a cheese grater! The crack will eventually peter out (protect here with a #0.5 Camalot or wire), so traverse the blank area on crystals-go ahead, do it, then ascend the crack to the right about 10 feet and traverse again over to the bolted belay. A 60m rope will get you down from here.

NOTE: an alternate second pitch: 5.7 - go back left from the belay, and ascend the gnarly handcrack seen on the topo to a bolted rap station at the top (to the right as you top out). Tape up for this one! Two rap stations to the bottom as indicated on topo.

Take a full rack, cams from #0.5 to #3.5 Camalots, maybe double up on the #0.75 and #1. Take all wires and some spare 24" slings. There is a double bolt and chain anchor at the top, so take what you'll need for that. A 60m rope is necessary.