Today
is Saturday and we want to get on Fingertrip, a classic 5.7. We arrive at
the base around noon hoping that by then, the crowds would have dissipated.
Not so. There is still a line at the base of the route. We need another plan.
A striking shallow corner with a thin crack further right, called "On
The Road", had caught our attention while climbing El Camino Real a few
days ago. We decide to give it a shot, and link it with Traitor Horn, a very
exposed route up wild overhangs at the right edge of the west face.
The first
pitch is nothing special (5.6 or so, up discontinuous cracks and flakes) but
deposits you at the base of the spectacular corner.
The striking
corner of On the Road was really fun. The crack gets too small for fingertips
in many places, but the arete to the right provides additional holds. Progress
requires a strange and really enjoyable combination of corner, slab, and face
climbing. Contrary to reports found on mountainproject,
that warned of runouts (and almost discouraged us from trying the route) the
pitch is well protected with small but very solid nut placements. The moves
out of the corner and onto the face at right are made much less intimidating
than expected by the presence of conveniently located small edges for the
feet near the arete. A couple of tricky (5.9ish) moves up the face lead to
a tiny nut placement in a seam (I used the smallest BD Stopper, which, though
a little wide for the shallow placement, felt pretty decent; an RP would work
best here). A few more feet and the crack opens up to finger size with great
pro. A phenomenal pitch.
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The
first pitch (~5.6) follows cracks to the base of the striking
corner.
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Lucie
following the first pitch.
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Starting
up the striking corner (pitch 2, 5.10c).
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Higher
on pitch 2.
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Looking
back at Lucie on p2.
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From the
belay atop pitch 2, you can either finish with the offwidth corner of Jensen's
Jaunt (5.6) or traverse right to the spectacular Traitor Horn finish. We decide
on the latter. I make a short pitch, traversing horizontally rightward underneath
the "traitor horn" to a stance below the roofs and set up a belay.
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Almost
at the belay.
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Flawless
white granite above the second belay anchor. Jensen's Jaunt follows
this corner.
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Starting
p3.
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Traversing
under the traitor horn (the real horn is further up and right).
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Lucie
starting p3.
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There
are several ways to climb the last pitch. You can either climb the right hand
crack (next to the horn) straight up (about 5.9+) or hand traverse right onto
the horn (wild 5.8 but not much pro). I settle for the later, while lucie
chooses to follow directly up the crack. A third option is to climb the left
hand crack instead, which - according to the guidebook - goes at 5.10a.
From the
belay below the roofs, I'm able to go all the way to the top in one shot (60m
ropes). The steep section gives way to a low angle slab (low 5th class).
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The
view from the third belay: 10a crack on left, and 9+ crack and
5.8 horn at right. The classic route climbs the horn.
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Starting
p4 .
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On
the horn, at the end of a wild hand traverse (positive but no
pro).
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We come
down quickly, and hike to the base of Fingertrip,
hoping to have time for another route.
