Macita

Macita was another long-standing virgin summit in the Sedona backcountry that eventually was climbed, but not in the all-free style that was envisioned. Continuous cracks split the south side of the tower, but some frustrating sections prevented free climbing the entire route.

Pitch 1: Start in the notch by climbing cracks between the main wall and a short sub-tower to the south (5.10). This pitch ends on a good ledge at the top of the sub-tower.

Pitch 2: Delicate face climbing on small RP-sized nuts leads off the ledge and into a more secure crack above. Stemming and finger jams lead upward to a blank plaque of rock where the crack arches right. Surmount this section with two moves of aid on fixed angles (C1). From a small ledge at the end of the arching crack the beautiful, splitter hand crack begins. Follow it upward through a few wide-hands pods to reach the belay ledge at the base of the offwidth (5.10). Belay on two bolts.

Pitch 3: Climb the looming offwidth above via aid bolts along the left side (C1). We hoped to free climb this pitch, but even with wide-crack master Karl Karlstrom along we couldn't do it. The crack is a horrible width, overhangs, and leans fiercely to the left until being capped by a wobbly chockstone, and just didn't seem to relent to any application of techniques. I'm still convinced it could be free climbed, but at a standard above that of the rest of the route.

Typical Sedona rack, including RPs, lots of hand-sized cams, and a few wider pieces.