Cucumbers : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost

Cucumbers was one of the first routes put up on the crag. The first ascent was done by Doug Robinson and Dennis Henneck in 1969. It starts in a prominent left-facing corner on the west side of the prow, then finishes up cracks and a short chimney for the last two pitches. The first pitch is the money pitch. Bring some tiny nuts.

Approach

Toil up talus for 20-30 minutes to the toe of the crag, then head up and right until it is possible to scramble up and left to a large ledge below the obvious left-facing dihedral that forms the first pitch. The overhanging corner with a chockstone on the right side of the ledge is the start of the route.

Route Description

Pitch 1: Gymnastic climbing with big hands up high, but scant feet will get you out of the corner and onto a ledge at the base of the dihedral. Climb this (5.10a, very thin to start) to a comfortable belay about 100' higher. Features on the right wall (sometimes behind you) can be helpful both for progress and protection.

Pitch 2: Continue more or less straight up following a crack system (5.9) to a steep headwall. Traverse left a few meters to the corner and belay. Hand to fist sized cams are needed for the anchor. The pitch protects with mostly smaller gear (<1"). Doubles in the smaller cams and small nuts are useful. The West Face route traverses in from the left and shares most of this pitch.

Pitch 3: A short chimney (5.8) leads to easier climbing. When possible head up and left to a short gully which leads to the top.

Essential Gear

A 50m rope is adequate for the climb, but a 60m (or doubles) is needed to rap off the back, and a 70m (or doubles) is needed to rap the face. Small nuts to around .75", double cams to around 1", and single cams above that to 3".

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