The Shuffle

Ever wonder about the wicked arete featured in the poster at Desert Rock Sports? The Shuffle is it.

Begin 100' right of the start of Epinephrine.

P1, P2, P3: As for Texas Hold 'Em. Scramble 50' up and left across 5.0 ledges just left of a huge, hanging left-facing dihedral high above. Optional Belay on a large ledge with lots of bushes, otherwise: scramble left through the bushes to a small left-facing corner, up this and then traverse back right across a slab to a higher, small, left-facing corner/arete. Up this, passing a bolt, and continue more easily to a great belay ledge with bolted anchor. 130' to this point and a good place to stop and belay. Or, with an 80m rope, continue. From here, head up the slab above, then diagonal rightwards across the slab (#2 or #3 Camalots in horizontals) until reaching the previously mentioned huge, hanging left-facing dihedral just above a tree. Climb this to near it's top where there is a bolt up and left and another one up and right (the righthand one is situated above a shelf). Either way goes, but I find the righthand variation both easier and more direct. Belay just above at a good ledge with a bolted anchor. 260' to this point. Continue up the left-facing corner right of the belay to a huge, bushy terrace. Cut right through the bushes and belay on gear below a water-polished groove/crack feature at the right end of the terrace. 400' to this point and most of the climbing on these pitches checks in at 5.8.

P4: Climb up the water-polished groove, but where Texas Hold 'Em moves left, continue up and right. Eventually this path dead-ends at a roof; step left to a mini-arete and follow a seam up to a bolted anchor beneath the business. 80', 5.10.

P5: Climb the amazing arete via some thin and possibly reachy moves, keeping mostly to the left side of the arete to a small rooflet and stance. Gather yourself and move right around the arete to the radically overhanging side and bust a few powerful moves before grabbing the brick and swinging back left. Continue through a v-slot to an airy belay perch. 8 bolts and an optional #2 Camalot protect, but an attentive belay is essential as falls from high on the crux could land you on the ominous slabby wall behind you. Fantastic climbing. 5.13a, 80'.

P6: The original route heads straight up from the belay(*), but the way we finished was via the incredible Golden Desert pitch: Move left off the belay, clipping a bolt to access a steep, exposed flake system. Committing climbing up these large and sometimes hollow features brings the climber a few good rests and ultimately to a cruxy thin crack that is difficult to protect. Higher the crack opens up and accepts better gear and more of one's fingers. A rightwards crack switch and a romp up blocks leads to the penultimate belay station on Tri Tip. Wild position. 5.12a PG13, 150'.

Rap with two ropes or with a single 80m plus some shenanigans.

(*)The original route is as follows: From the belay above the crux arete, climb a thin, left-facing flake feature (5.11?, 75') and then trundle up to a belay on a comfy ledge. From this belay, head up a splitter tips and fingers crack (5.13a?, 75'), stepping left via some face holds to an easier corner which leads to the same belay above the Golden Desert pitch.

N.B. There is a rather fragile and important hold on the 5.13 pitch where one turns the corner that has already broken once - use care. Hint: this is a foothold - don't even touch it with your hands.

10 or so draws & slings. 1 or 2 sets of cams from fingers to #3 Camalot. A set of RP's.