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Peak Mountain 3

High Corner

FA Fritz Wiessner and Roger Wolcott, 1942.
CREATED 
UPDATED 

Description

A one-star climb just to the right of The Ceiling, this route is a hidden gem. A somewhat run-out and spicy 5.3 first pitch (definitely not for a 5.3 or even 5.4 leader), leading to an odd, crescent-shaped second pitch with really nice moves (5.2-5.3 G/PG), eventually leads to a beautiful offwidth/dihedral (5.5 PG) that just keeps coming at you. Make certain to check the guidebook topo; there's a 5.8 PG route that overlaps this one, and it's easy to get off-route.

P1: Climb up alcove to right-facing dihedral; follow the dihedral to a pine tree or continue slightly up and right to the base of some overhead right-facing corners. 5.3, 75'.

P2: Follow the right-facing corner system up and right in a "C" shape to the GT ledge; walk right along GT ledge to a large arete, walk around corner to grassy area underneath imposing dihedral. 5.2, 100'.

P3: Climb the dihedral to the top. Due to rope drag, you can build an intermediate anchor on the GT ledge almost directly above the rappel tree from P1 belay and bring up the second, then do a short (20 foot) traverse to get around the corner. 5.5, 80'.

Descent: Rappel off the Shockley's Ceiling rappel, or walk about 50 yards to climber's left to the bolted Ribs rappel. There is a rappel station just to climber's right of the P2 belay, but it's two rappels to the ground -- and the intermediate rappel station is nothing to write home about.

Location

Approximately 60 feet right of Shockley's Ceiling, in a right-facing dihedral with a short "chimney" or alcove.

Protection

P1: The crux moves have protection. I put in 3 pieces in 75 feet. With larger cams (3.5, 4) there might be more protection. P2: adequate, but fiddly. P3: looks adequate, maybe PG; we had to bail off due to the last pitch being dripping wet.