Snake Pit

This is an fairly under-rated meandering route and a fantastic addition to the list of moderate shaded climbs in the area, which is short. It will certainly further improve with traffic. The following description (and different pitch breakdown than the book) may help, it assumes you will use your head and extend pro:

Pitch 1) The recommended start to the route climbs Starting Point Crack (5.5) exiting the crack to the  right at its top onto an easy low angled slab below steeper broken ground. The original start to the route climbs the center and right side of the slab to the highball first bolt and a second bolt (5.9+R) before gaining the low angled slab. Either way, at the end of the slab climb through the steeper ground up and slightly left through it and set a gear belay at the bottom of a long, arching right facing corner with low angle slab to the right. Belay takes larger cams #2-#4. 5.7, 85'

Pitch 2) Continue up the easy corner to near it's top exiting left onto ledgy but steeper ground. Pass a fixed belay if you didn't place too much gear below and continue up into the right facing corner to a steeper headwall (King Cobra Corner is straight up this). Traverse right on the slab to a fixed anchor in the black water streak. 5.6, 80'

Pitch 3) From the belay continue up and right to a left facing flake then undercling and layback back left (crux 1) under the roofs and shelves above. Pass yet another fixed belay clipping a few bolts. After the third bolt climb up onto the shelf above continuing on the left facing corner. After a few moves and 15 ft (crux 2) or so exit the dihedral up straight up to your right through a bit of grass/choss to better rock then the dirt ledge above. Belay at the two very old pitons (back up with cams 0.75")  5.8, 180' It is also possible to divert left a long the lower tier dihedral after the third bolt gaining fixed anchors of Misunderstood. 5.8 130'.

From the Dirt ledge old piton belay Organization for the Organized 5.10- continues into the black broken roof straight above. Also, the high adventure upper pitches of Nanooks of the North 5.10+ go up the obvious slab ramp up and left and into the biggest roofs on the buttress.

Descent: If you walk right (west) on the dirt ledge 40' there is a new fixed rap station. Two rope stretching raps with a single 70m rope can get you to the ground. Put knots in the end of your ropes and be very, very careful. Angle climbers right on the first rap. If concerned make a short first rap hard climbers right to the top of Refugees from Reality then do two more raps down. The last rap also leaves no rope to spare but it is possible to stop at another intermediate anchor.

It is also likely possible to rap to the intermediate anchor on pitch three of Snake Pit then make two subsequent raps to get down or rap down Misunderstood if you exited pitch 3 climbers left on the lower tier.

Left of Stiffler's Mom the trail climbs up the hill 150' or so to the base of Refugees from Reality - continue along the cliff base descending about 60' to a slab with two high ball bolts on the right and a crack in a right facing corner (Starting Point Crack) to the left.

Doubles 0.3-#3 (#4 optional but useful) nuts, plenty of long slings with at least two double length.