The Great Escape

This is a wonderful, sustained climb with excellent movement. It is also entirely bolted (even the TCU crack at the top!) -- a very enjoyable change of pace from things like the Steck-Salathe.

Begin in the center of the Chapel Wall, well left of Cosmic Debris. Note that the Reid Guide is seriously misleading in terms of the location of this route: The topo on pp. 246 & 247 shows routes 'A' through 'R'. The Great Escape, route 'U', actually is located between routes 'I' and 'J' on this topo.

The start of this route is somewhat hidden by boulders and trees. Begin in a right facing corner at a high-point along the base of the cliff.

P1: Climb easily up cracks to the top of a pillar (a #2 Camalot will protect this, but the climbing is easy). Clip an anchor, and then perform a difficult 5.11a traverse right. Climb up past bolts to a ledge with a small tree (visable from the base). Belay. 5.11a.

P2: The crux. Head up the thin, sustained face above. 5.11c. Traverse right to a belay in a right facing corner/ramp.

P3: Head up the ramp past bolts, then up a crack to a roof. Pull the roof to the right, and continue up to a belay. 5.11b.

P4. Pumpy, but easier than pitch two. Climb up the overhanging crack system past bolts. Traverse left on steeper rock, and then more easily up to a belay. 5.11c.

Rap the route with a single 60m rope.

A dozen draws.