Sheltering Sky

Fantastic four pitch face climb up a sea of sparkling white granite littered with Tuolumne-like knobs.

Very well protected by most slab standards; even on 5.7, you only need to climb 15 feet or so between bolts. Great rock and great climbing throughout.

Pitch one: traverse rightward for a handful of bolts until the bolt line heads up to the first anchor. At the second bolt, a variation called 'Gimme Shelter' goes straight up for 180 or so feet to the second anchor of Sheltering Sky. (60 feet; 5.10a).

Pitch two: Follow bolts wandering up and left for a great and fairly sustained pitch. (5.10a; 95 feet).

Pitch three: Follow great knobby rock straight up clipping bolts on the way to a two bolt anchor. Fun. (5.8; 110 feet).

Pitch four: Follow bolts straight up to an anchor. The final 35 feet of this pitch are protected by an old quarter inch bolt, but the climbing is moderate and solid. (5.7; 95 feet).

Important note on the rappels

. Croft and Lewis' book states that the raps are all 100 feet. I don't think this is the case on the third pitch. I had maybe 4-5 feet of tail left on my 70m (with rope stretch) when rapping the third pitch. I don't see how a 60m rope would have made it.

Sun exposure:

the route faces east-south-east.

As Blitzo stated, Candlelight Buttress is found by first finding the Meysan trail. Walk through the lower group campground and past a couple of summer homes. Start up the Meysan trail just past a cottage and head up the trail.

Within a hundred yards or less the trail will turn hard left; however, you follow a vague trail up the gully to the obvious white buttress above. Plan on 30-45 minutes depending on how motivated you are.

There is a small ledge/slab that runs across the middle of Candlelight buttress; there are two anchor bolts at its far right end for a couple of other routes. Sheltering Sky begins at the far left side of this ledge and about 30 feet below a prominent pine tree about 2/3 of the way up from the bottom of the buttress.

Draws for bolts; the second pitch has at least 12 bolts. There are two good bolts at all four of the anchors.