Unnamed (aka Slab n' Vein)

Slab n' Vein is a nice route with great position that has the unfortunate reputation of being painful. Overall, the climbing is very good, and it probably isn't any more painful than the typical Shelf 12, assuming your feet don't slip when you have your finger in the potato peeler mono....

Begin at the start of the

Illegal Smile

arete, clipping the first 3 bolts of that route and then stepping left onto a big ledge (instead of moving out right onto the

IS

arete).

Get a good chalk and proceed upwards for about 3 bolts on easy but fun climbing. A tricky, circus trick crux off small crimps and awkward feet lets off to snag a quick clip before moving upward into a big move to good holds (which you wish you could easily clip from, but unfortunately cannot...). Another big move gets you out of here but lands you at a strenuous, runout clip, which you really do not want to blow. (If you are redpointing, a long runner is helpful here).

If you have made it this far, the rest of the route is fun, maybe 11-ish, techy climbing interspersed with some rests.

This route would probably be popular if the protection was sorted out a bit better. If the bolt at the end of the crux was moved down 3 feet, it would bump the quality up another star. I thought the overall difficulty was on par with most of the classic 12a-12b routes in the area, provided you can figure out the crux. The first time you try to do the crux it feels very improbable, but once you do it you can repeat it pretty much every time.

Hopefully some more folks will give this route a try.

Slab n/ Vein tackles the narrow west face to the left of the

Illegal Smile

arete, near the far left side of Cactus Cliff.

Approximately 8 bolts and cold shut anchors.