The Skewer

SO FUN!!! These days most people know this route as the first half of Beat Junkie (5.13b). Whether done as a start to that route or to its own anchor it is a must do climb for this section of cliff.

Head up the moderate start in the corner on to the second bolt. Stem up the corner until you can get a good hold out left and shift to a stance under the crux headwall. There are two ways to to do this section and your style will decide your fate. Either work the crack with your right hand and the arete with your left as you hug your way through the crux stabbing the slots with precision. Or, climb the crack with a super sequency collection of strong moves and tough jams (if you are good in cracks this seems easier, but not easy by a long shot).

After the crux you make a funky mantel on to a super slab and move left to a ring bolt (the old anchor) Don't bother clipping it. Make another tough move out right on to another slab, a big move gets you to the final wall of schist leading to the anchor. The climbing here is technical and crimpy and the movement is good but the rock quality is a bit worse, foot holds are still breaking off.

On the left end of the ledge look for the fixed long draw on the first bolt in a corner below an awesome cracked face.

11 Bolts to anchors. The the first 5 draws are fixed--the rest are not.