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Peak Mountain 3

The Alien Wall

FA Mark Givens, Joel Kauffman, September 2, 2009
CREATED 
UPDATED 

Description

P1: Same as Raven/Predator, 5.6, 55m.

P2: Climb up and slightly left, pulling a small bulge/overhang with good fingerlocks. Continue up to small, obvious fir tree, belaying above it on a small ledge. 5.10ish, 30m.

P3: Traverse left for 20m past steep wall, using both good face holds and small cracks for gear. After rounding the distinct edge of this portion of the wall, the angle decreases slightly. Head up on solid rock to a grassy ledge. Excellent climbing. 5.8 or 5.9, 50m.

P4: Continue up and slightly right on this highly featured wall with wild face holds, then back and left. Great gear. Many belay options on small ledges. 5.8, 60m.

P5: Continue up exciting, tight left-facing corner with excellent pro, then move left onto Wheat-Thin-like exposed flake with finger locks. Back into corner, continuing up to belay on a block. 5.9, 55m.

P6. Continue straight up crack system to small offwidth, then follow excellent hand and finger cracks to another tight left-facing corner. Entry into this final corner has some lose blocks which were easily avoided. Belay on large block/ledge. 5.9, 55m.

P7: Continue up shallow crack on steepening headwall to small bugle/overhang. Climbing looks harder than it is but takes excellent pro. Traverse left for 3m, then move up and back right. Follow crack system up and slightly right, using solid face holds and cracks. 5.9, 55m.

Location

The first 150 meters are 5th-class scrambling, with a few roped pitches of moderate though run-out face climbing. You eventually gain the bench where the real climbing starts. P1 is shared with Raven Crack and Predator. The route is rappelled on a series of trees (including one slung block) and essentially goes straight down the route. Once you hit the bench where the climbing proper starts, you can either descend the way you came, or head down and east to another series of rappels which will bring just down and east of the apex of the talus / snow cone.

Protection

Double rack to BD #3 with a #4 thrown in. No fixed gear, no bolts.