Easy Getaway

Certainly off the beaten path from it's neighboring classics at the pass with their easy approaches and a que of 2-3 parties waiting in line. You will have this route to yourself, and you'll have to earn it with a gnarly bushwhack. That being said, expect stellar rock quality (Dare I say better than most of the granite in the main spires group??) with some excellent crack and corner climbing and even some intriguing slab thrown in on the lower pitches. The descent has the potential of ruining your day, so study up. (descent beta in main Cutthroat Wall page)

Starts from a large flat ledge system.

P1 - Low angle slab up and left. Up a short crack to a small overlap. Save something small for the little pod at the crux move, needs to be narrower than a C4 (small mastercam, alien, totem, or TCU most likely). Pull the overlap on crimps and the shallow finger pod. Slab up to another overlap in a corner (feel around the top edge for potential pro options) and mantle Keep moving left up the slab and belay at a decent stance below a roof. 5.10-

P2 - Up a thin RFC with stemming and finger cracks to a tree. Go left at the tree and move through some tedious underclings and into the "clean orange corner". As tempting as it may be to stay in this beauty, quickly exit out right and belay. 5.9

P3 - Up and right via face climbing and then good cracks back to the left to a short finger crack and a tricky mantle move. Traverse left and belay before a large flake/ ramp with a 4" crack (semi-hanging belay) 5.9

P4 - Left up the large detached flake ramp and 4" crack (avoid placing gear behind the flake, good gear in a horizontal on your right). Work up the face to below a small roof. Pull through the roof on good laybacks and jams, then climb a short crack and mantle. Up lower angle slab to a decent ledge in a corner just below the easily identifiable "zebra corner" 5.9

P5 - Two variations. Crux will be managing rope drag while also adequately protecting your second from bad pendulums if they fall. Option 2 allows you to cover more ground if your extensions on pieces are well planned.

Option 1: Up a short steep crack and follow low angle, thinning crack past the zebra stripes and under a roof. Then climb back right on huecos, horizontal crack, and underclings to a stance. Cool pitch, my partner and I agreed this was the crux of the route. Rope drag will be awful, even with proper extension, so build a belay at a decent stance after exiting the zebra corner. (If you opted for this pitch you will need to make another short 5.9 pitch up some short finger cracks and laybacks and into the chimney to the tree at the base of the RFC) 5.10

Option 2: Good if option 1 is wet or if wanting bypass the rope drag shenanigans and cover some more ground. Up same short steep crack off the belay and then the low angle crack, but traverse sharply right on distinct ledge with large rectangular block. Move past tree and up on slab, finding good pro in huecos (#1) then a tedious slab traverse right (look for an optional sweet hueco thread to protect your next few moves) to cracks in a shallow corner. Up the corner, then follow great hand cracks back left under a roof, pass a tree, and then step left into a chimney. Belay at the tree at the base of the large RFC. 5.9.

P6 - Money Pitch 100 ft RFC that varies from hands to fingers, but is very secure and a ton of fun. Pass a large pine tree that is bowing outward near the top (optional belay) and move through awkward jams and pulls as you encounter some small roofs. Belay near the base of flaring squeeze chimney. 5.10- (From here, it is possible instead to traverse ~30 ft to the right and down to get to last pitch of Perfect Crime - splitter 5.9 fists and hands!)

P7 - Awkward squeeze chimney that protects deep and climbs more towards the outside. Heinous for the follower if they have a pack (consider "maywesting" your pack in canyoneering style, or just go climb the splitter last pitch of PC instead). Atop the chimney, climb easy 5th crack on a slab and belay at a good stance. 5.9

P8 - Low 5th to the summit, but exposed enough to stay roped up and just run a quick belay to the top. End at a distinct flat summit mesa.

Left of Perfect Crime. It is helpful to use the "Zebra Corner" as your landmark throughout the climb, as you more or less keep heading for it. The nature of the rock lends itself to many overlaps, corners, cracks, roofs and can seem a little wandery - would be easy to get off-route without a decent topo. Blake Herrington's topo in "Cascade Rock" was sufficient to guide us through.

Cams: Doubles from tips to #2, single #3,#4. Stoppers: single set.