Ring Leader

A previously un-named route that leads up the left-central side of the CheckerBoard wall. This route can be done in 3-4 pitches. It begins on the left side of a huge buttress that roughly splits the cliff into two halves. The left side of this buttress has a huge roof which provides an unmistakable landmark.

Scramble up a thorny gully on the left of the buttress to a small grassy ledge beneath a clean slab. Pitch 1: climb the crack system on the left side of the slab. Belay at a ledge beneath a large overlap. Pitch two: surmount the overlap directly at a weakness or traverse right and then up on easier ground to surmount the overlap. Continue up a full rope-length over blocky but easy terrain to a large ledge. Pitch 3: Climb an offwidth directly up to a stance below the final headwall. Puzzle out the move to gain the crack above the headwall, and then continue up wonderful steep crack climbing to ledges near the summit.

Most of the climbing on this route is in the 5.7 range. The third pitch offers the best climbing.

Standard rack. No anchors exist on this route. There are two sets of rappel anchors on a route a hundred feet to the south. Two double-rope rappels can be achieved this way, but they do not take you to the bottom. Downclimbing easy 5th class may be required if you chose to rappel. The other alternative for a descent are to walk off to the north, or to rappel the "Crosstrainer" route.