No Man's a Pilot

When things get congested on the Diagonal, give this route a try. It's a little wet, a little wide, but generally fun outing that doesn't get as much traffic as it probably deserves.

P1 (5.5, 150 ft)- Same as Diagonal first pitch. Start at base of left facing corner and wander up, break out slightly left onto slab, then straight up and right until you find a suitable belay.

P2 (5.5, 140 ft)- Same as Diagonal second pitch. Keep angling straight up and then slightly left towards the base of Diagonal ramp. Climb up Diagonal ramp 20 feet, then take a sharp left into large chimney. You can't miss it. Build belay below steep section.

P3 (5.9, 100 ft)- Take a breath, then scamper up the steep but short blocky chimney with a large flake bissecting the two options. Pull through this section, exhale, and then move up through a short squeeze chimney and on to easier climbing on top. Some loose blocks on this pitch, so keep a eye out. Belay at rappel station with piton and fixed nuts if you like.

P4 (5.8+, 100 ft)- Continue up corner to a wide crack section, and then up another steeper wide section under a large roof. Move left 10 feet across sloping slab past dead tree, and belay on blocky ledge atop the diving board flake.

P5 (C2 perhaps?, 60 ft)- The original finish (we didn't do this but it could be fun, if you're into that sort of thing) Aid your way up the overhanging V-slot directly above the belay to a tree above with rap anchors

P5 (alternate finish, 5.4, 75 ft) - Basically a "C". From belay under overhang, tiptoe 5 feet left around blind corner. Continue traversing left another 15 feet around with lots of exposure under your heels until you can head straight up an easy, vegetated crack splitting a dirty slab. Climb up top and walk around right to get to belay at rap anchors on tree.

Descent: Two double-rope raps along the route to the base of Diagonal ramp. Might be able to do three raps with a single rope as there was a rap anchor in the middle of pitch 4. From base of ramp, we climbed the rest of Diagonal and rapped that route.

Same start as Diagonal.

Good protection. Standard rack with nuts, double cams 0-#3 is plenty. We brought a #4 but it's not necessary. Long draws to keep the rope drag at bay for the first two pitches.