The L & H Route (Free Variation)

While a little scrappier than it's neighbors on the wall, The L & H has some of the most memorable climbing you'll ever do in Washington. Originally done as a nail-up back in the day, climbers these days will find a fun jaunt up flawless rock and a lot of quality 5.10 movement with a few cruxes thrown in for good measure. Much of the 5.10 still has a bit of lichen, but all the important holds are clean and the pitches overall will only get cleaner. All the 5.12 climbing is immaculate. (and really fun) The grades are currently a little theoretical as most pitches have only been done once or twice.

P1: Start as for the Tiger and step right over a tree to a ledge running to the right. Follow this until it arcs into a long, left-facing corner. Climb the corner up to a pin and gear anchor below a roof that traverses back left. Long pitch.

5.10+, 210'

P2: The first crux. Get established via funky stemming moves off of slightly creaky holds in the corner. Clip the bolt and get psyched up for what's coming. Stem left as wide as you can, place a quick piece, and set up to dyno off of terrible holds to a huge bucket out left. Very temperature dependent. After sticking the fishbowl, mantle out and finish the pitch on some slightly dirty 5.10. Belay up and left on a small stance with a snag and tips-finger sized cams high in the corner.

5.12-, 40'

P3: Traverse straight left off the anchor to gain a crack system out of sight to the left. Follow this up to the large, treed ledge that divides the wall. At the top there are two options. You can climb directly up a crack above a small snag (the snag is more solid than you'd think-I stemmed off of it) or you can take an easier line to the right. The easier line has more rope drag. This pitch has a lot of dirt in the corner, but you never really need to touch the crack, so it actually climbs surprisingly well.

5.10-, 190'

P4: Easily one of the best pitches of 5.12 you'll ever climb on granite. Walk right along the ledge to the elegant right-facing flake that cleaves the beautiful, clean face above. Start with moderate moves up the flake and make a baffling crack switch right, passing a thin seam in the process. Once established in the right crack, power your way to its end just below a bolt. Turn it on to blast through powerful moves on perfect square-cut edges that ease progressively as you climb out from the bolt. Belay at a stopper and bolt anchor.

5.12, 100'

P5: Make a funky move off of the anchor and enjoy engaging face climbing with good gear up the crack system above. Lie-back up a somewhat mungy left facing corner with good (clean) locks until it's possible to follow a horizontal crack that traverses radically left into the largest cave. Belay at the end of this traverse on bolts.

5.10+, 150'

P6: This pitch is a little wandery, but your goal is to gain the hanging left facing flake visible above the lip of the cave. Climb up and left on easy, but unprotected terrain to gain a horizontal that you can follow back right into another corner system. Climb this up and left to a small roof, passing a few hollow flakes along the way. Turn the roof on its left side and climb up easier terrain to a ledge with a small tree below the corner. Run it out on easy holds until you can get your first piece in the corner. This is a little bold, but the climbing is straightforward and the rock is good. Enjoy the corner as it ends quickly at a ledge. Monkey up the tree above to a higher ledge and belay on finger-hand size cams.

5.10, 105'

P7: A memorable and improbable pitch. Traverse the ledge system to the left where it narrows until you're forced to hand traverse and down climb. Follow this flake and ledge system until you can join with the upper pitches of the Ellen Pea route. Belay on bolts shortly after the merge. This pitch is not good for a timid second.

5.10-, 130'

P8: Finish as for Ellen Pea. The best finish climbs up and right on hollow flakes until you can clip the first of three bolts. Make wild moves on good (albeit grainy) holds until the terrain eases. Follow the easier terrain up and right to a treed ledge with bolts. You can continue to the top via runout 5.9 edges or rappel with two ropes from here. (it's also possible to rap to this point with a single rope if you top out)

5.10, 180'

Descent: either rap Ellen Pea with two ropes or walk down to the west.

L & H starts from the same treed ledge as the Tiger. Start as for the Tiger, but step right (over a small tree) to climb the next corner system to the right.

Single rack to #3, triples of tiny (purple C3) through 0.5, doubles 0.75, 1, 1 set of stoppers and RPs.

3 protection bolts and 3 anchor bolts were added with the consent of the first ascensionists.