West Face Corner

This attractive corner system on the West Face of the NRE is as good as it looks. It has two beautiful and challenging pitches in the corner system that are definitely worth the trip. It is also pretty distinguishable on the West Face making route finding pretty simple.

P0: Un-roped scrambling up a left trending ramp system gains a broad ledge system underneath the west face corners. Continue to scramble up the right-trending ramp underneath the corner up to the base of the corner system.

P1: 5.10, 100 ft. The first 100 ft of the corneer system passes two bulges and then under-clings left under a roof to gain a ledge/belay. Each bulge is a mini-crux of increasing difficulty, kind of like a V0 boulder problem. The final undercling under the roof is fantastic, with very thin footholds.

P2: 5.10+, 120ft. Climb directly up the crack/corner above at 5.9, passing an old piton. At the top of the corner is a slab under a roof/overlap. Place a high-piece of gear near the roof, then down-climb to a small seam/weakness in the slab and make a difficult balancy move up the seam to gain a ledge belay to the left of the roof system. This move felt PG-13, as the protection was off to the side and a big swing/poor landing on the slab below is feasible.

P3:200+ ft. Easier (5.6-5.8) climbing meandering around the headwall above to the right eventually gains a large shoulder which is where the Davis Route is joined. From here continue up the final part of the Davis Route (5.4) to the summit.

Approach up rabbit Ears Canyon and head for the gap between NRE and MRE. P0 starts almost at the corner where the west face turns to go up the gully.

Descend via the South Face Direct, which requires some scrambling down the south side and 2-3 rappels off fixed anchors. A single rope rappel off the first anchor lands on a broad ledge where a second anchor is. A double-roped rappel from this anchor hits the ground, or a single rope rappel can be used to gain a ledge system where a final rappel off of poot slings is found.

Standard rack up with cams up to #3 camelot. The undercling crux took small camming units in various places.