The Dike Route

The Dike Route follows an obvious system of (generally left-leaning) dikes up the right-hand end of Pywiak Dome. It is a great climb, but not for the faint-of-heart. Be very confident running it out on slabs -- the crux fourth pitch has the potential for 60-80' falls on 5.8 terrain in two different places, and a 30' fall on 5.9 ground. The other pitches are easier, but still very sparsely protected.

P1: Climb a long gradually steepening slab to a bolted anchor at a stance on the dike. This stance is roughly where two dikes intersect to form a cross. 5.4.

P2: Continue up the dike past a bolt and step left to another dike. Follow this up to a bolted anchor on a big ledge. 5.6.

P3: Follow the dike up past three bolts to another bolted anchor. 5.7.

P4: Continue upwards past a pair of bolts (old anchor) and then run it out on 5.8 terrain up to a steep bulge. Pull this bulge on good holds and continue relatively straight up to a thank-god bolt. This bolt is hard to spot -- it's pretty much straight up, perhaps slightly to the right of the last belay, but don't stray too far in that direction. After clipping this bolt there is a stretch of 5.9 (crux) climbing through some gold polish before finally reaching a bolted anchor.

P5: An easy pitch up to a bolted belay below the final headwall. This can be breached via a wide crack, but most parties rap from here with double ropes (follow the Needle Spoon route on the descent).

Five or six draws.