As We Liked It

Follow the directions to the "North Buttress" of the West Ridge, by the area favorites Xanadu and Chockstone.

Identify the route Xanadu at the right-hand end of the SouthWest facing portion of the North Buttress. Xanadu is a hanging dihedral with a small crack and a small "Dr. Seuss" looking tree growing out of it 60 feet up. The next major crack system to the left (~15' NorthWest) is in a series of left facing dihedrals. This is S&M (5.7). Another 10' or so to the left of S&M is a thin crack capped by a four-to-six-inch flake with a seam beginning it. Above that the thin crack is seam-like and there are a few small ledges with bits of grass growing in the cracks behind them. This system is 'As We Liked It.'

The route is more or less a "hard start" variation to S&M and skips the so-so climbing at the bottom of S&M.

Climb the thin crack to where it becomes an undercling under a hanging flake. Place a few more small pieces and move up and slightly right into seams and on to a small ledge for rest. The moves are a little tweaky, and probably harder than the 10a grade given by Rossiter. I'll say 5.10 and leave it to you to subdivide. From the rest, the climb moves up into a hanging dihedral above and finishes in that system, heading left into a second dihedral as the one overhead becomes less desirable. This is the same as for the route S&M.

The bottom moves of this route are protected on thin gear. Several small nuts can be placed to protect, but these may be difficult to put in. I did not use micro cams at the time, but they may work. I believe that Ball nuts would add ease and security to the protection at the low crux. A standard rack will protect the rest.

The landing at the base is pretty good, so a spotter and crash pad could probably prevent any real injury.