Cathedral of Western Fire

This route provides a continuous, varied mix of clean face, mandatory cracks, solid rock, vast belay ledges and challenging climbing, equipped with all stainless steel bolts and hangers. The route is very well protected with gear placements every 5-10 feet. It should provide a fun and thought-provoking route up the shield.Pitch 1: 10d, 28m, bolted anchorThis first pitch offers up a look into the climbing to come, featuring clean, technical face, a bit of slab and interesting cracks and roof systems. Climb up and right, to clip the first bolt, continue face climbing up a clean face, passing 5 bolts to reach a roof. Turn the roof, then continue up over easier ground to the right of a small pine tree and a two-bolt belay.Pitch 2: 10b, 26m, bolted anchorFrom the anchor, head up and slightly left, following a broken crack system to reach a slender roof. Traverse under the roof, passing a bolt at its right end. From this bolt, head straight up, passing intermittent cracks, to reach a two-bolt belay ledge on the Fin.Pitch 3: 11c, 30m, bolted anchorFrom the belay ledge, step over the divide, climbing straight up technical face to the roof, passing several bolts along the way. Turn the roof and continuing straight up for about 4 meters, then head right at a left facing corner, climbing initially rightward, then trend back left until you reach a 1-meter by 1.5-meter pillar. This pillar allows access to the ‘Broom Ledge’ with a 2-bolt anchor.   Pitch 4: 10a, 27m, bolted anchorFrom the belay ledge, head right (avoid getting lured into the loose corner on your left) then slightly left to tricky moves that guard a small delicate overlap, with a bolt within reach up high. Head upwards for about 3 meters above the bolt to easier climbing. From here, head right across the face to find protection in the slab. Cross the slab above by trending left to another hidden crack system. From this crack, continue straight up, passing easier, blocky ground to reach the top of the buttress, which offers a wonderful belay ledge with a two-bolt anchor.Pitch 5: 10c, 34m, bolted anchorHead up and right of the belay, to climb the left facing corner. At the top of the hand crack, step right, continuing rightward to reach a 3 to 4-inch diagonal crack. At the top of this crack, step left onto the face gaining the first bolt. Climb directly up from the first bolt (avoid getting pulled into the loose corner on your left) through a series of intricate side pulls and good feet, to reach a second bolt. Continue upwards with a slight right trend, surmounting a small bulge. Clipping the last bolt, then climb up and left to gain the left side of the amazing arête. Continue straight up cracks and low angle slab to a two-bolt anchor on a belay ledge.Pitch 6: 10a, 28m, bolted anchorHead up the obvious open book to your left, climbing a fun crack that ends in a small section of slab. At the slab, head up and right to tackle a short, ten-foot section of off-width/chimney just below a pine tree. Step right at the pine tree to gain a two-bolt belay ledge.Pitch 7: 10a, 33m, bolted anchorStep right across the chasm, continue traversing right for approximately 3 meters, to gain the first crack system. Take this crack about 4-meters high, then step far right again, to gain a second amazing splitter. Follow this crack for 20 meters ending in a left facing corner. Climb this corner, gaining another stunning belay ledge. From this ledge, you get your first good look at the crux pitch looming overhead.Pitch 8: 5.8, 20m, gear anchorFrom the left side of the belay ledge, head directly up for about 7 meters, until you encounter a horizontal crack. Step left here to gain a vertical, incipient crack system. This will bring you to the right side of the arching roof, which comprises the first portion of the crux pitch. Traverse left under the arch, to belay at the far left side of this roof system, building a gear anchor. Your belay is located on the right side of a large chimney system.  Pitch 9: 12d, 27 m, bolted anchorFull value pitch. From the gear belay, follow the cracks up and right, clipping your first bolt above the first roof. Continue up and right, passing over two stunning roofs with challenging holds and incredible body positions. After surmounting the final roof, you will then climb up a short vertical face, trending leftwards. The final overhanging right facing arête guards the anchors. After the arête, follow a crack systems directly up, passing over small hand ledges and cracks to gain the final two-bolt belay.  Pitch 10: 5.9, 23m, gear anchorFollow the crystal groove moving up and left of the belay. Climb groove until gaining rounded ledges left of an overhanging roof/chimney and left facing corner. Climb left of the left facing corner/chimney as to avoid loose rock within the chimney. Intermittent cracks take you past the left facing corner and deposit you just 3 meters below the top of the Shield at a nice belay ledge with good cracks for a gear anchor. From this point it is 3 meters of 4th class to the top.

Decent: One 70m rope. Every pitch has a 2 bolt anchor equipped to rap with a single 70m rope, except the top of pitch 8 and 10. You can single rope rap from the top of 9 to the top of 7, bypassing the gear anchor at top of 8. From the top of the route (top of pitch10), if heading back to the base, you can descend the standard fixed lines or rappel pitches 9 & 8 of Rage Against the Dying Fire to join Cathedral of Western Fire at the top of pitch 7 where you can continue to rap Cathedral of Western Fire.

As with most lines on the shield, this route is predominately southwest facing affording ample sun from late morning until sunset. The route is located about 5 minutes uphill from The Promise Land. It starts about 3 meters downhill from a broken, 7-meter-high pillar.To reach the base of the climb either:Hike up the Fletcher Trail (We put a decent amount of work into this trail).Descend the standard fixed lines.Rappel from top of Rage Against the Dying Fire to meet Cathedral of Western Fire at the top of pitch 7. From the top of pitch 7, rap Cathedral of Western Fire. Single 70m for all raps.

For an extremely robust rack:C4 Camalots

Doubles (0.5-2)C3 Camalots

Single Red and YellowZ4 Camalots Single 0-0.75 Double 0.4Set of small nuts