- Edit (TBD)
Description
This is a clean aid/free version of a maximum adventure route in The Monument done in 1960 by the greats. It has mostly good rock with the occasional Monument funkage, an amazingly long chimney, and an exciting final pitch which leads to a small, prominent summit.
Start on the north side below the enormous chimney.
P1. Climb thin C1 up to ledge following old pins, traverse left here from original line to wide crack that takes a 6 at the base, then place 4s and 5s,
and get good free climbing (5.9+). This goes up an easy chimney to a 2 bolt anchor.
P2. Do a quick chimney/canyoneering pitch to the start of P3.
P3. Chimney upward (5.9) plugging TONS of thin gear into crack system on the Pharaoh side. It gets wider and wider. Stemming is possible until you finally have to move to crack and start aiding. Two short sections of C2 lead up to spot where a belay can be set up with 2 #3s.
P4. Plug in a super extended piece up a bit higher to avoid a shitty fall, then friction traverse (5.7) right on small feet over to an old, drilled ring piton, rejoining the original aid line. From here, easy runout climbing on junk rock leads to a nice hand-finger crack which you can aid to the top, then a mantel or clip the anchor and pull up to the summit.
Location
Start on north side of Egypt Rock. It requires a 1 hour approach if you go the smart way.
Do a double 70m rap from the top back to the notch, downclimb the 2nd pitch, then do a single rap to the ground.
Protection
A standard desert rack, tons of small cams (00-.4) everything you have, triples of 0.5-1, doubles 2-4, one 5 & one 6. Small Ballnutz (blue) are useful. Bring small offset stoppers, lots of runners, extra webbing, and 2 70m ropes.
Routes in Monument Canyon
- 24Pharaoh Point - Chimney Wide5.9Trad · Aid