It takes a Village

The name 'It takes a Vilage' comes partly from all the different people that helped me put up this route. It took me 5 partners over 3 seasons of weekend trips to finish the route. The 'village' also includes those friends who aren't with us anymore. This route is dedicated to Zach Orman who died in a paragliding accident in 2013. He was an inspiring friend in my life and my thoughts were with him often while adventuring down in the canyon.

This is a beautiful 5 pitch line up an unnamed wall.  One of many such walls in the GCT. The route faces south and bakes in the sun so later season or an early start are key for the crux slab moves. The route is mostly crack climbing with some face climbing cruxes thrown in. Pitches 2 and 3 are beautiful and require a variety of crack techniques. Pitch 4 is the crux and is entirely face climbing with 4 bolts protecting the harder moves. The crux is on near vertical techy crimpy slab. After the bolts the climbing eases and follows beautiful golden edges with intermittent pro. This part is runout but never harder than 5.8. Pitch 5 features a mix of crack and face with one bolt. The route could continue to the right of the 5th pitch anchor along a weakness and then up a 30 ft slab to another massive ledge. Then there is another 300-400 ft dome above. Go get it!

The next party that goes up may want to bring some webbing and/or quicklinks and rap rings to add to the 1st and 2nd pitch anchor. Webbing up there is probably getting sun baked.

Getting to the wall is easy. Walk on the PCT down to Glen Aulin. The wall is located about 1 1/2-2 miles down canyon from the Glen Aulin High Sierra camp on river right. The formation is the wall that is just down canyon from Wild Cat Point(the super steep golden and black streaked dome that looks reminiscent of the Bachar-Yerian) and is separated from that formation by a steep gully. Look for a wavy right facing corner about halfway up and in the middle of the wall. This corner and crack below it are the 2nd and 3rd pitches. Pitches 4 and 5 continue up cracks and face above. The first pitch starts up a left facing corner about 150 down and left. Scramble up over talus and slab to a ledge system with a series of left facing corners. Go to the far right side of the ledge and look for a bolt about 10 feet off the ledge with a small roof/bulge just above the bolt.

Doubles from tiny to #3 camalot. RP's, (double up on small rps for the 2nd pitch) small and medium offset nuts and offset cams useful. Many slings.