Devious Septum

After you have addressed the east wall of the dihedral, and located the first bolt, move straight up on some thin, painful crimpers. Those not ready for a 5.10 mounting move may need a spotter here. Clip the bolt and continue up on diminishing-sized crimpers, and some side-cling nubbins. I found the hardest variation to be some three feet up and left of the bolt, 5.11 a/b; a bit to the right of the bolt is the 5.11a move I did originally (and it is used by most of the climbers I've seen here). Further right of the bolt there is a "ditch-out" 5.10c section.

Watch your balance as you get 3 to 4 feet above the bolt. You SHOULD, at this point, be able to reach the sloping shoulder for some secure 5.8 friction grips before you get so high that the bolt will no longer catch your fall. Climbers with short arms and long legs may be disadvantaged here! Your feet will probably be 8 feet above the take off stance, once you are past the crux position, but still not safely on top of the chin.

Once the initial "bouldering" sequence has been mastered (or just do the 5.8 mount on Western Cheek) and you are on the "chin," move up directly under the nose. Short climbers may want to sink some extra protection in the cracks on the wall below the nose, but remember to watch for rope drag if you do. If you can reach the second bolt directly, on the lower left side of the nose, you can clip in here and keep drag minimized. I'm 5.8, and had no trouble hooking it.

The next moves to get up the nose are the most delightful "grip-and-swing" I've done in some time. A three star move, if one can grant individual moves a rating? On horizontal, shallow cracks, swarm your way up. The handholds improve in size and "gripability" as you continue up past the third bolt. Just about the time you think you've successfully finished this problem, the balance gets very awkward and the handholds disappear. Palming the rock will keep you from a tumble here until you can haul your rear end over the nose. A fourth bolt on the nose completes this airy, upper body workout, probably to be rated 5.10c/d? On the bridge of the nose, where it meets the "forehead" bulge, there is a fifth bolt. You can go up either side of this bulge, but going directly up its center using a shallow crack for the right hand will give you a superior finish, 5.10a/b. The headwall moves then drop off quickly in difficulty and can be protected with small-mediun nuts, lowe tricams.

Start in the same dihedral/ gully as the first moves for The Black Stain and The Western Cheek. Instead of climbing the slope toward the back of the dihedral, turn to the eastern face (right) and start the climb on thin hand-and-foot holds, past a single bolt.

Mixed gear and five bolts. Top anchors nearby at the summit. I used small to medium sized nuts; the two smallest tech friends; pink, red, and brown lowe tricams; 10 quickdraw sets and a four foot runner for under the nose.