Stratosphere

LOTS OF FUN!!!

P1

Pretty mello climbing (past a pretty, new bolt) to a smack-you-in-the-face slab. I found the left traverse after turning the roof a bit nerve-wracking. It made me wonder why the newer bolt was placed lower down and not right there. Nice bolted belay. I had a belay seat which made all the belays very nice.

P2

Short left-facing and leaning corner. The crux seems like just getting started. Way fun and VERY free-able. Belay at some old pins that you can back up with small (i.e., tiny) cams.

P3

This is where the good stuff begins! Easy thin nuts get you warmed up for the rad arch feature. This was only really made difficult by my not bringing enough of the right piece. The crack widens about halfway but make sure you bring several SMALL cams. I had one 000 C3. If I had 2 more, this part would've been a breeze!

The bolt ladder is cake as the bolts are only about 3-4 feet apart. Some of these bolts could REALLY use replacing. The right shuffle with a hook is very cool. You can top step and skip the last fixed mank. Three-bolt hanging belay (bring your seat). The right most bolt is nice brand new one (why didn't someone replace a few others?), the others are the old button heads.

P4

Another good one. More easy bolt ladder work to a great traverse. The crack has a few fixed pins, but reaching the first one can be tough. We used a red C4 in a flare that worked great. I originally used hooks in the little holes between pins but Tristan was able to get small C3's into 'em just fine. Those C3's are the greatest small cams ever!

The finish to this pitch is a somewhat committing 5.8 slab. Possible to finish using aid but be ready to garden a bit in a dirt-filled crack. Use a big tree to belay. From here it is possible to rap all the way to the ground with doubled 70 meter ropes in one rap (60m would be really close, I think).

P5

We skipped this one this time but I did it years ago. There is a new bolt (that I don't remember being there before) at the start of the right traverse. I remember this last bit to be a bit cruddy and not really anything I wanted to do again, but J.G. thinks it is pretty good. I guess it has been bolted up now. The only thing that would make me do it again is the big rap. You end up going right over the lip of the HUGE roof on the right. You get way out from the wall! One more rap from a big tree puts you back on the ground.

This is a great mini adventure route that every aid wanna-be should do. Just don't bring too much gear!

Complete kudo's to the guys to put this route together! Great job!

C3's: At least one set (two sets would be better—C'mon get em! So worth it!).

C4's: One set to yellow (we used the yellow twice).

Nuts: Only small sizes (5 or so is all you need).

Hooks: One skyhook is required.

Biners: Bring about 20 free biners or draws.

Other than your personal aid stuff, that is all you really need.