After Seven follows a beautiful series of cracks to the right of its easier, multipitch counterpart After Six on the Manure Pile Buttress (aka Ranger Rock).

As opposed to the first pitch of After Six, the route follows a more splitter-style line and is defined by the twin cracks at the base of the route. Because the route protects so well, this a good way to push one's limits into the 5.8 realm but be warned, the route is every bit of a 5.8.

With spectacular views of El Cap, excellent crack climbing and a shady tree at the base of the climb, After Seven is a fine way to pass slow parties on After Six or perfect crack-climbing technique.

Getting There

From Camp 4, drive 1.6 miles down the road (West) looking for a brown picnic area sign on your left. Turn into the paved parking lot and find the well-defined trail leading towards the buttress behind the bathrooms. A very, very short approach. From the toe of the monolith, to your left is a right-facing dihedral (After Six) and slightly to your right is a shady tree and twin cracks. Rack up here.

Route Description

The route starts with shallow hand and finger jams with several instances where you must seek out thin scars within the crack system for upward movement. USE YOUR TOE JAMS!

The crux comes where one crack system ends and another begins with a brief stretch of .8 face climbing in between. Protection lies a bit below your feet at this move- GO FOR IT!

Follow glorious hand jams to the tree-bound ledge that connects with After Six. At this point you can either rap down with two ropes on a slung tree or continue the climb by moving onto After Six.

Essential Gear

Pro to 2.5, emphasis on small grey .4 Camalots. Two ropes if rappelling after the first pitch. The route also takes nuts like, well, your old lady :-)

Images