Just Putin Around

This is a micro-adventure route that really isn't recommended for all but those who don't mind funky rock, decisions, and not falling. The line is just what we pieced together for a good ole time.

P1. Climb

Sea Breeze

,

The Minstrel

, or

Au Natural

to the 2 bolt anchor.

P2. Move right onto a bulging section protectable with small cams. There is a wiggling flake here or there on this bit. Pull over without falling, staying over your feet. Move upwards on lower angle terrain with a bulge or two. Be careful not to hook your rope on the dead tree/stump. ~120' up you can get a directional under the small face, and then you can angle down and left to a belay under what looks like buck teeth.

Note, we explored left from the bolted belay but found the features rounded enough to move us rightward. Also, you could "Z" the pitch by traversing over to the tree on the left, but this inverted "L" seemed to portend less drag.

P3. Now this start is probably indicated on p. 99 of Rossiter's excellent 1999

Rock Climbing Boulder Canyon

. Avoiding the thin wire crack directly above the belay (which we dubbed the Yanukovych option), we moved slightly left into a better featured crack/groove that felt harder than 5.5. Once on the face, we angled right into a left-facing dihedral. A cruxy move into the dihedral gets your attention. Continue upward on bits of face climbing into a pod on the left and belay.

P4. Here you have some options. The straight-above-the-belay option gets your initial vote but has a precarious-looking block which might teeter out and kill you and/or your belayer if you pulled the wrong way (which we dubbed the Obama option). Traversing rightward, you see the next left-angling dihedral with crusty-looking footwork and crumbly looking edges of the crack (which we dubbed the Putin option). A stopper or two for a directional and additional rightward traversing leads to a more solid-looking bulge solution. Still, you must take care not to fall, given the ledge below the bulge. Clear the bulge, follow a right-leaning line to a ledge on the right, and belay. A #4 Camalot is nice here. There used to be a death-defying, 3-4 foot, guillotine blade here which George most generously cleared.

P5. Now, you move slightly left and aim for the inviting dihedral above. There are still some loose blocks on this pitch. In particular, there is a hanging peninsula of rock in the dihedral (which we dubbed Crimea) which is very difficult to avoid pulling upon. Above, there is a block on the left which seemed okay to stand upon, but avoiding pulling upon it may be best to survive passage. Finish the dihedral and belay.

Walk off down the right side of The Bihedral.

Find this line wandering up to the prow and right of The Bihedral. See the topo photo.

Double ropes were used but may not be required. A rack with wires, a few medium to large hexes, and cams from small to a #4 Camalot is useful. Long slings, including some 48" slings will keep down the rope drag.