Action by Knight, 5.10b, 3 Pitches

Overview/Approach

Action by Knight is a relatively old route established by Joe and Betsy Herbst in 1974.  The obvious attraction to the line is the massive roof (3rd pitch) atop the triangular east face of Windy Peak.  Action traverses right to left under this roof, an improbable feat looking up at it from trailhead, but like many roofs in Red Rock, in breaks down fairly moderate once you actually get below it. 

Unfortunately the first pitch is a junker, but the second pitch offers a fun 5.8 arête/crack lead on dark varnish.  Handren has it broken down differently length wise, but you definitely want to extend those first two pitches to cover a full 70m rope length (combined) to set up the crux lead just meters below the roof to alleviate potential rope drag.  Two excellent routes at the same grade to combine with Action by Knight are The Free Crack (5.9+) and the Aid Crack (5.10+).  These are two single pitch routes sharing the same anchor at the lower left end of this east face (sort of a different feature to the left).  Together, these three routes provide three excellent pitches of 5.10 trad.  Diet Delight (5.9**) is the classic route on this face and why most anyone would be up there climbing.  This is one of the warmest locales in Red Rock to climb on cold winter days.

Park at the small parking area as you would for any route on Windy Peak.  There are three different ways to get there, but the bottom line is that you are positioned at a small pull off where two of the dirt roads intersect in direct line with the East Face of Windy, which is much lower than the more common South Face, which is home to Jubilant Song, etc.  If you are after Action by Knight, I am going to make the assumption you have already climbed most of the routes on the south face and know your way across the desert floor.  From the parking area, head north just as you would for the south face, but once below the east face, locate (or not) a cairned (2018) climbers trail heading directly up to the left end of the triangular shaped east face.  Action is easy to locate, simply start 300' directly below the right side of the massive roof.  The first pitch is rather non-descript and covered in vegetation.  But the second pitch is more obvious up the dark varnished arete. 

Route Description

1st Pitch- 100’-5th/ An approach pitch through vegetated terrain to reach the base of the nicely varnished right facing corner located directly below the right side of the massive roof and to the left of Diet Delight.  Gear belay in the base of the corner atop blocks.

2nd Pitch- 125’-5.8/ A fun corner/arête pitch on stellar rock.  You pull out onto the left face and set up a gear belay right below the right to left leaning crack that leads to the roof traverse. 

3rd Pitch- 60’-5.10b/ Climb the splitter that is wide in spots, but below the grade.  Place a small piece in the roof and extend it well.  Then start the traverse left though the homemade (2018) hanger clip and step up again to place a micro cam in the roof.  Then down climb a meter to the face move traverse left (crux) via a wide stem.  One more wide reach up and left and you are back in the roof for pro.  Climb up and left to the other side of the broad arête and a comfortable medium gear belay.

Descent

Descend exposed 4th class for about 30’ to a fixed rap.  Make three single rope raps to the ground.

Essential Gear

Single to C4#2.  Set of wires. Micro cams handy.  Plenty of shoulder length slings for the traverse.  Single 60m rope.  Route gets ample sun all year.