Little Hunk North Face, 5.7-5.13d

Overview/Approach

Potato Head, 5.10c

Little Hunk North has some of the highest concentration of multi starred routes in Miramontes guide.  ZZZZ Direct is a three star 5.9R and in fact the last multi-starred 5.9 that I yet to lead in the park. The north face of Little Hunk also has one of the most difficult sport routes in the entire park, New Deal, 5.13d. Two 5.10 trad routes we enjoyed on the wall were Potato Head, 5.10c and Power Drop, 5.10b.  ZZZZ is one of the taller routes on the north face whereas those previously mentioned 5.10’s are located on the shorter right wall. The harder sport climbs are located way over on the left side above the protected petroglyphs.  In fact several routes have been closed in that area due to the historic aspect. In the moderate range, Incandescent, 5.7, Electralux, 5.9, and Power Line, 5.7 offer decent climbing. Incandescent and Electralux are fully bolted. All routes can be walked off to the west via a long ramp with a short bit of 5th class slab down climbing. There are two fixed raps serving four bolted routes starting from right to left with Incandescent. ZZZZ can be top roped/rapped off of a horn at the base of the upper wall with a 70m rope.

Park at the paved Echo Tee parking lot. Hike around the right side (Pope’s Crack) following a good trail to the left back (north) side of Little Hunk. Wall offers great shade all day.

Route Description(s)

Routes Listed Right to Left as you face the North Wall (west to east)  

Dow leading ZZZZ Direct, 5.9R

• Functional Analysis- 5.11d
• Potato Head- 5.10c* / Potato Head runs up the obvious twin cracks (upper face) at the west end of the wall. It starts at an easier single crack located just right of a tree. You hit a sloping ledge that splits the wall, then the fun begins. Climb the left of two seams . Your last solid piece before it flares out is a C4#.4. You can get a suspect micro cam or nut in above that, but then it goes to a shallow flaring crack. Stay with the left crack lay-backing off of the lip of the crack to an insecure hand. Use this hand to stem your right foot to the now more featured right crack to finish. One horizontal piece can be placed left of the left crack before you top out. Cruxy pro and finish with small gear. Scramble off west. This use to be a 5.10d we were told and is far more difficult a lead than Power Drop which is listed as just one grade lower and to the left. Dow
• Flower Power- 5.9*
• Power Drop- 5.10b** / Start in the 5.9 direct start corner for Power Line. Traverse right via a horizontal crack to the base of the thin splitter above (same sloping ledge mentioned on Potato Head). This upper splitter protects with small gear with maybe one lay back move but mostly goes straight in. A ring lock helps exit the cruxy section. Not sure about the two stars Miramontes gives this one, more typical of a one star route in Jtree. Scramble off west. Dow
• Power Line- 80’-5.7*/ From the ground up this route would be considered the best 5.7 in the park.  But the FA came in from a ledge and rated it 5.7.  When someone did the direct, they called it 5.9, but it is more 5.7-8 even from the ground.  Start up (from the ground) the heavily varnished left facing corner.  Jugs the entire way.  Protects well, single rack to #3.  Gear belay at the top.  Scramble down west.  Dow
• Incandescent- 5.7+** / Unique sport route in that it climbs a slab section of the wall that has ripples or small waves in it. Straight forward following the bolts to rap chains above. Dow
• Electralux- 5.9* / Same start as Incandescent, except follow the bolts up and left. A few thoughtful moves but soft at the grade by Jtree standards (a solid grade or two easier than ZZZZ). At the top, traverse left via a handrail and mantle up to the large ledge to rap hangers. It is easy to traverse right to the rap chains of Incandescent if you wanted. Two sets of anchors up there for potential crowds I guess. Dow
• Shock to the System- 5.10c*
• Electric Blue- 5.11c**
• ZZZZ Direct Start- 5.9R*** / The direct start is the way to climb this route as the move above the first bolt is interesting for the grade and not to be missed. Locate the two modern bolts (2016), one just below a dike a few meters up. The start is the crux move of the route if you go this direct version, but also the best protected (the other two bolts as of 2016 were well rusted=’80’s). The dike is not as juggy as it looks. Get positioned over the first bolt. Right foot goes up to an edge on the dike and the left arm basically does a push-up off the dike to gain balance on that right foot with nothing for the right hand. Walk the dike left and up to the second bolt. Then join the natural depression that climbs the wall as the original line. The third bolt is ok. The 4th bolt is suspect. The first gear you get is a small to medium piece at a small ledge after the 4th bolt. Traverse up and left from here to another gear placement and then easy ground to a broad ledge. The best top rope anchor is an obvious large horn straight away on the wall ahead of you. It can be backed up with gear. Scramble off west. To avoid exposure on descent, go left and up, then descend. A sustained pitch for the grade. Dow
• ZZZZ- 5.9R** / See above. The start is much easier, albeit less protected, but otherwise the same. Dow
• Blues Traveler- 5.10d**
• Team Scumbag- 5.10b
• Changes- 5.11c**
• Police and Thieves- 5.11cR*
• Unsolved Mystery- 5.10d*
• Rad Nad- 5.10a*
• Cashews Will be Eaten- 5.8
• White Mischief- 5.12b**
• New Deal- 5.13d**
• Smear Factor- 5.12a**
• Dysrhythmia- 5.12a**