Best Bet Arete

One of the many classic 12's at Pub San. Located on the steep arete to the left of Spike. Access the start of the route by bushwhacking onto a ledge from the left side.

Climb 30 ft of crack and face to gain a big ledge with an intermediate anchor (makes for a fun, if short, pitch of 10d sport on it's own). Climb up a juggy flake, clip another bolt out right and then traverse up and over to the arete. Climb past an undercling with an old smashed-up wasp nest, and then you get into the business.

The crux is a V3 boulder problem below the penultimate bolt. The Reid Guide is confusing because it's description for the route is "When in doubt, stay right", and there's some slopers and features out right, above a copperhead. But this is harder than it looks, and makes for a scary fall. You actually want to stay on the left side of the arete, and use sidepull edges along a seam in opposition to the arete.

After the crux is a bit more of 5.11 'don't-blow-it-now' climbing past one more bolt to the anchor. At the end you want to swing over to the right and mantle the dirty shelf, then blindly reach around left to clip the anchor. This is maybe what Don Reid was referring to by "staying right".

Bolts, 2 bolt anchor/rap. The bolts are old and need to be replaced, especially the last couple and the anchor.