Hard Up Direct

The Classic route at Maryland Heights. It is recommended to link pitch 2 and 3 together.

1. Climb the left facing corner and face up to the white streak at the bottom of the sign. Step left to a set of bolts with chains. This pitch sometimes contains a little vegetation and is roughly 50 feet. 2. Diagonal up and left along the steep ramp. Step out left around an overhanging block passing the main rappel chains. Clipping or placing gear near the rappel chains may create rope drag if linking pitch 2&3 together. Step up on top of the overhanging block to the base of a vertical crack. 3. Climb the vertical crack for about 10 feet then follow the crack left up a steep right facing ramp to a wide platform. Keep an eye out for loose rock on the next easy part. Move up the wide crack on an outside corner for about 6 feet. Move around left onto the wide low angle face and up to the large bolder covered ledge with a tree. 4. Move up behind the tree into a squeeze chimney for about 8 feet, follow the crack system for another 20 feet passing 2 trees and walk into the wide chimney to find the main rappel chains on the left wall in the back of the chimney.

See Rappel information on the Sign Wall page. 60 meter rope required.

At the top of the trail scramble up a narrow gully directly below the center of the sign this is also left of a large left facing corner. Continue scrambling left up a ramp for 30' to a wide left facing corner.

Standard trad rack. Bolted belay on pitch 1 and 4. Combine pitch 2 and 3 and belay from the tree.