Black In Action

This route is in the shade all morning and early afternoon. The top bit seems to get some sun later in the day. You will however get some sun while traversing the towers back to the notch below Cross Fissures Overlook.

Pitch 1 - Climb the obvious crack up the face of the pillar, escape left on face holds to a belay ledge, 80', 5.10-.

Pitch 2 - Follow the crack systems up using lots of face holds. Move left at about 150' to a secondary crack when the primary crack flares above an alcove. Belay at a stance at the top of the steep wall and at the base of a mossy slab section, 200', 5.10+.

Pitch 3 - "the bush-width pitch". Climb up the mossy slab then right up a corner to the highest point of the pillar that makes up the lower portion of the formation, 150', 5.7.

Pitch 4 - Climb the crack off the top of the pillar through a small roof to the top of a pillar/flake. Traverse left on face holds to a flared chimney/v-slot. Climb chimney then traverse back right to another pillar. Layback/bear hug pillar to its top move right to a short corner system, continue up and belay below overhanging off width, 5.10, 180'.

Pitch 5 - Climb past the off width on face holds on the left wall. Continue up cracks staying slightly left to a ledge below a chimney, 5.9, 200'.

Pitch 6 - Climb the chimney above to a ledge and easy ground to the summit, 5.7, 60'.

From the summit rappel or down climb 5.4 to a notch (no fixed anchor).

Pitch 7 - Climb up a chimney/corner to the lookers left then traverse around the left side of the tower to a ledge 15' above the second notch, 5.4, 110'.

Rappel or downclimb 5.5 for 70', then downclimb 4th class to the large notch below the Cross Fissures Overlook (no fixed anchor).

Pitch 8 - From the notch, climb dirty cracks up to a good two bolt anchor right of the overlook, 5.8, 250'.

Park at the Cross Fissures Overlook pullout. Walk west 100 yards further, and enter the bushy gully on the right with big pines in it also. The bushes go away after 5 minutes or so. Descend approximately 30 minutes to the route on the skiers right marked with cairns.

Double set to #3 Camalot, one #4 Camalot, stoppers, & 60 meter rope.