Sidetrack

This is another fun Sundance route. It starts to the left of

Mainliner

, climbing a shallow, right-facing crack just left of a left-facing flake.

P1: Ascend the corner as it fades work left past incipent seams and runout face climbing (8) to a small ledge below another crack system.

P2: Follow the left-facing crack with interesting jams up to and over a small roof and belay on a ledge below and to the left of a wider crack (9).

P3: Follow the wide crack to another belay ledge (8).

P4: Follow an easy crack system just left of the crux pitch of

Mainliner

(6) or move right to join

Mainliner

.

P5: Follow cracks just left of

Mainliner

(we joined

Mainliner

). This is likely the best pitch of the climb.

P6: The topo indicates another pitch of 5.9 followed by a pitch of 5.6 choice of easy climbing up to the summit or traverse right to the Saddle Descent.

Eds. Below is an updated description with the complete route (not joining Mainliner).

Per

Greg D

: when the approach trail reaches the buttress, continue up and left for another 100 yards or so to where the trail tends to level out and just begins to head downhill. Locate an old, large, downed tree stump that has fallen to the right (east). 20 feet left of this tree stump is a left-arching, featured finger crack. Start here.

P1. Climb the left arching finger crack which is tricky but well-protected. When the crack ends, continue up and left on easier rock to the crack/gully system, 9-, 75 feet.

P2. Climb the crack/gully system with some vegetation and sometimes wet. Exit the gully/crack system to the right onto cleaner rock via a finger crack. Continue up to a generous belay ledge, 9, 80 feet.

P3. Climb the splitter 4” wide crack, 8, 100 feet.

P4. Climb up an left for another 90 feet to a good stance, 7, 90 feet.

P5. Climb the obvious crack up and slightly left heading towards what appears to be a steep finger crack but actually is a hand crack topped by a small roof. Place good gear before and after the roof, because gear will be harder to find after this point. Take the path of least resistance heading towards the large left facing corner capped by a roof. Belay in the left facing corner below the roof, 9, 8+ R, 100 feet. It may be possible to continue over the roof (9) and belay above.

P6. Climb over the roof (9) and continue up and slightly right to a nice, wide crack/chimney on easier terrain, 100 feet. Several other possibilities exist here.

P7. Climb the wide crack/chimney until you can exit right on a large ledge.

To combine pitches: 1 & 2, 3 & 4, 5 & over the roof, 6 & 7 to the walkoff ledge.

Descent:

Head right on 4th class terrain. You may need to scramble slightly down and east to a notch. Find a small tree with slings. Do three single rope rappels from trees with slings. Note: a 60 meter rope doesn’t reach the second tree, but some 5.0 or easier climbing will get you to it.

Standard rack.

Per

Greg D

: bring a standard rack with a few RPs, TCUs, and a 4” cam for pitch 3.