Stormy Petrel

The route follows the most prominent feature on the East face of Neptune Tower - a giant left-leaning ramp/dihedral leading to a large pedestal below the headwall. Various guidebooks have this route listed as IV 5.8 based on Fred's writeup in the AAJ, where he fails to mention that they aided off the bolts to overcome the blank face section on P2. A honed slab-master with no fear of bad 1/4"ers could likely free the short ladder at .11+/.12, but otherwise the route is mostly classic moderate crack climbing on pristine golden granite.

P1) Up the right-facing lieback corner on slick rock to a belay atop broken blocks. 5.8

P2) Up a steep slab with a short bolt ladder, tension traverse 15' left and climb up a shallow groove & face to better cracks above. Belay at a stance beneath the steep wall w/ splitters. 5.8R A0

P3) Up the steep cracks and into the gut of the mountain. FA party likely continued up the chimney/gully here for a few pitches to the notch (loose & uninviting); we opted to take a variation following cracks and lieback flakes out on the left wall to a stance with a large block. 5.9+

P4) Up a shallow left-facing dihedral, face traverse left around the arete, up cracks and face to a large ledge beneath the monolithic pedestal/pillar. 5.9

P5) Pick a crack and make an airy leftward traverse around the pedestal. Belay at a huge chockstone in the notch behind the pedestal. 5.8

P6) From the notch, head straight up the headwall on thin cracks and spectacular face climbing. Belay at a good stance. 5.8

P7) Continue up hand cracks to the easy summit ridge. 5.8

Located right of center on Neptune Tower's east face, starting in a large right-facing dihedral. To descend, scramble up to Neptune's true summit, then head west across a short knife-edge ridge, downclimbing or rappelling into the loose gully on the South side of the peak. Hike down and around and back up to the base. Allow 1 hour or more to descend.

Doubles to 3", single 4". Three bad 1/4" bolts on P2. No other fixed gear.