Left Wing (5.10c)

Overview

A challenging classic climb.

Getting There

Take Canyon Blvd. (Highway 119) and once past the first obvious crags (the Elephant Buttresses), park on the large pullout on the right. Cross the bridge and turn right, following the steel pipe. The climb is on the Second Elephant. Find the gully between the First and Second Buttresses and scramble up a pitch or so of blocks, heading toward a large left-facing corner with a good belay ledge.

Route Description

The corner climbs cracks at 5.9, before the route moves left to a stance and some cruxy face climbing. A bolt protects the face moves straight up to a big flake. Resist the urge to protect the flake from below (poor gear) and just yard onto it, where you'll get good gear and a nice rest.

The next section is rated 9+ on Rossiter's topo but I found it the real crux. You have two choices: Lieback a slick dihedral on flaring fingers (find feet, I dare you), stuffing gear in blindly at your waist; or, throw in two bomber cams from the stance and gun for the corner, where you'd kinda of expect a Thank God hold, but won't find one. Don't worry: it's a clean fall.

I didn't do a very good job of placing a directional to protect my second and he swung into space and had to Batman up the rope when he couldn't get back into the dihedral. If the leader might not cruise this section and the second isn't super solid at 5.10, the follower might want a prusik to make life easier.

Scramble off the back.

Essential Gear

Finger to hand sized cams, nuts, slings. Possibly an ascender for the second.