The Bellagio

This is a fun route. It’s not as steep as For Whom the Bells Toll and the rock isn’t quite as good (it's a little grittier), but it's got some really neat and enjoyable climbing on it. The route is characterized by smooth slabs and chickenheads. Lots and lots of chickenheads.

Pitch 1:

Long pitch. Climb up some slabs that are interspersed with horizontal cracks (there are 2 bolts on the slabs). Do some mantling and then head up the corner to the right of the knobby roof (which looks like a roof from the ground but is really just a steeper section of rock). Make a reachy move out left to a massive chickenhead on the steep section, clip a bolt, and then follow the chickenhead ladder to a 2-bolt belay. 5.7-, 70m.

You can set up a gear belay using finger- and fist-sized pieces under the knobby roof if rope drag is too bad. If the knobby roof isn’t to your liking, there’s a gnarly flared 5.6++ chimney out right.

Pitch 2:

Climb up the slab with sweet vertical dikes and chickenheads past 3 bolts. Some shallow horizontals can fit a piece or two, sling a chickenhead, clip a bolt, and finish the pitch at the 2-bolt belay. 5.7-, 55m.

Pitch 3:

Climb up the fist-ish crack, sling a small bush, go up the face (1 bolt). The pitch then levels out a bit. Head up and right to the solitary bolt in the middle of pitch 4 on For Whom the Bell Tolls. Finish up that pitch (up the cool chickenhead headwall) and then climb the last short pitch of FWtBT (#5) to the summit of the formation.

Rappel down FWtBT with a single 70m rope (7 rappels, 2 of which are short).

Bushwhack up to East Waterfall Dome and head left to the base of the route Kinabalu. From Kinabalu, head straight west on a faint trail to the base of For Whom the Bells Toll, then keep heading past that route for 40 or 50 feet to the base of The Bellagio.

1 set of cams from tips to #4, with maybe an extra #2 and #3. Tons of slings. Several 48” slings would be awesome to minimize drag on the long pitches.