Page Type:
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Route |
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Route Type:
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Hike & Easy/Short 5th class |
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Time Required:
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Half a day |
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Difficulty:
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Grade I, 5.4 |
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Approach
From a parking spot along KOFA NWR road between junctions 22 and 24, and just East of its crossing of the Oak Canyon drainage, begin walking south up Oak Canyon.
Route Description
Follow the drainage south, bearing up the western fork when the drainage splits. Upon nearing the headwall of the canyon, scramble easily up to a large notch east of the summit ridge. Circle around to the southern slopes, and head up and west, crossing two large gullies, and scrambling up short cliffs. A final slope will lead back north to the summit pinnacles, the highest of which is the western most one. This highest point can be reached from the notch directly to its east, via 200' of 3rd class to a 75' 5.4 pitch. At the high point of 3rd class scrambling, the 5th class climbing begins below an obvious final notch in the summit, but traverses up and left to gain a crack and ramp system that diagonals back right into the notch. From the summit notch, an exposed 3rd or 4th class, 100' traverse to the north leads to the true high point, and the summit cairn and register.
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Essential Gear
The route is easily accomplished with a few small to medium cams or nuts and full size runners. There are no fixed anchors for the descent. The route can be down climbed, with the first placing protection, and the last person down climbing and pulling the gear as they go. If I wasn't so cheap, it would have been possible to create an anchor out of several medium pieces.
Miscellaneous Info
If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.