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Peak Mountain 3

British Steel

FA Bob Crawford and Bryan Law, August 2009
CREATED 
UPDATED 

Description

Pitch 1:  Climb about 40 feet of 5.4 solid knobs to the first bolt, then a little ways further to a scoop and the second bolt.  The next three bolts are fairly close together and the 5.11a crux is well-protected – friction moves with a few tiny holds.  The rest of the pitch has only two bolts and there are a couple of long runouts with solid 5.9 and 5.10 climbing.  (5.11a R, 7 lead bolts, ~150 feet)

Pitch 2:  Traverse left of the belay and then climb up and right to the first bolt, then up and right to the second bolt.  There is a 5.10c crux above the second bolt, then continue up and slightly left to the third bolt.  Climb up to a shelf just above the third bolt, then traverse straight left along the shelf to a ledge and the belay anchor.  (5.10c, 3 lead bolts, ~50 feet)

Pitch 3:  To the left of the belay anchor, climb up features and past two bolts (5.9) and then up to a leaning, right-facing corner.  Move left around the corner past the third bolt and continue left to another right-facing corner.  Climb to the top of the corner (5.9) to the belay anchor on a nice ledge.  This pitch takes gear.  (5.9, 3 lead bolts, cams 1 ea. 0.4” – 2.5”, ~70 feet)

Pitch 3 ends on the right side of the same ledge as the pitch 2 anchor of Metalhead.  Rather than rapping down British Steel, it’s easier to do two raps with 60m ropes down Metalhead.  From the pitch 3 anchor of British Steel, walk left along the ledge to the pitch 2 anchor of Metalhead (move belay).  Or, if you want to continue higher, you can climb pitch 3 of Metalhead to the summit ledge.  (5.10c PG13, 4 lead bolts, ~60 feet)

All belay anchors have two bolts with chains.

I am not totally sure of the pitch lengths, so any updates from those who climb the route would be great.  Any other corrections are appreciated as well.

British Steel is the name of the 1980 Judas Priest album, which features a large razor blade on the album cover.

Location

British Steel is the next route to the right of Metalhead, on the right side of Razor Back.

Protection

Minimum 7 draws for lead bolts

Cams 1 ea. 0.4” – 2.5” (for pitch 3)

Long slings