Red Dihedral

Approach

See the above to get to the base of the climb. When you reach the base of the climb, angle up to a triangular rock formation on the main west face of the route. The start of the route takes a class 4 scramble on the left side of the triangle. You can easily scramble all the way under the 5.8 bulge and belay from there. This is approx. half way up the first pitch in Supertopo.

Route Description

Supertopo has an accurate (at this time free download) description of the route. It is a VERY fun must do route

p1: from the scramble angle right up an obvious ramp/crack until reaching a small stance (5.6ish). The first pitch includes the 5.8 bulge - only a couple of moves but not that easy (I thought).
p2 (pitches 2 and 3 in the guidebook can be combined with a 60m rope to reach the base of the major dihedral system. Angle right up through cracks with acceptable pro reaching the dihedral system. Belay at the base of the dihedral system with a black diamond 0.5 and 0.75 camalot. 5.8.


p3 (p4 in the guidebook) Known as the Red Dihedral pitch for obvious resasons. A long pitch (~120ft) of moderate difficulty (5.10a) up the dihedral. Use many cams of the same range (black diamond 1.0 and 2.0 camalots) leads to an overlap taking smaller cams (black diamond 0.3 microcamalots) then pull up high on the overlap and step right to a belay (guidebook suggests small stoppers-bad; or black diamond 3.0 and 3.5 camalots).

We climbed from just below the 5.8 bulge and did Red Dihedral as the second pitch. However, there were two belay stations (July 2008) towards the top of P3 (per Supertopo) - make sure you belay from the higher one, otherwise a 60 meter rope will be short to finish the Red Dihedral pitch and the leader will have to stop just below the 10b/c section and you will need to move the belay.

p4 (with a 60m rope run the next two pitches in the guidebook) step right reaching a crack which is taken straight up for 150-160ft reaching a stance at the base of an wall with a splitter crack above) 5.9
p5 take the splitter crack (0.5 to 0.75 blackdiamond camalot jr size) straight up to its end and continue. Continue straight up till you reach a large stance with a pillar that is split Very comfy belay spot. 5.10a

p6 step to the left of the pillar and follow the crack to the left of the pillar till a good stance. 5.9
p7 follow a crack slightly to the right of the good stance up a crack to very moderate terrain bringing you to the rim.

Upon reaching the rim walk Class 3 (someof it sandy ledges)to climber's right to the base of the final headwall - climb dirty crack approx. 20-30 feet and then move on sandy ledges slightly to climber's right to below the start of the final "tunnel pitch". Squeeze through the narrow chimney (I would suggest hauling packs through this, otherwise you risk getting stuck and you need to remove your pack anyway to get through the tunnel-through. The tunnnel through is easy but scary - slim climbers only...

The summit is a little ways up to the right.

Descent is tricky - return to where you exited the tunnel through and start descending the class 3 ridge. There may be cairns marking the route however don't get fooled onto the "wrong" side of the ridge. After maybe 100 yards you will reach the beginning of sharp ridge from which the gully is visible. You want to angle to skier's left, not right (there were cairns and slings on the right hand side too but the rappel down looked a lot longer than the "proper descent" way).
Locate rap bolts, get down to the gully and descend the easy (but loose) terrain in the gully back to the base of the route.

Essential Gear

60m rope suggested (doubles are great for the descent rappel)
camalots (0.3 to 3.5 black diamond sizes) double set useful
slings

Miscellaneous Info

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Images

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