Memorial Day Route

An obscure, yet adventurous line that deserves mention, the Memorial Day Route follows the obvious weaknesses on this seldom-climbed formation near the mouth of LCC. Begin at a large, keyed-in spike of rock beneath the prominent roof. A few gritty moves gain an undercling that traverses leftward past a pin, then pulls a small roof to a ramp. Belay from a comfortable, low-angled stance located just beneath the start of the Mouth Variation (.11). Step across a gaping chasm and into the cleft just beneath the obvious Mouth slot. You may encounter a bit of dirt and/or moss--most of the holds were cleaned during our ascent--on the thin edges as the route meanders in and out of the corner past two pins. Pull out of the corner then onto a slab with a two pin anchor. The final pitch climbs a right-diagonalling crack through an overlap, then past a scary flake resting precariously on a ledge below the final steep, wide crack. Belay from the ledge directly above, or continue up the wild, featured slab to anchor in the trees. Get after it!

Approach the Memorial Day Buttress from either the Bongeater or the Crescent Crack Buttress; either approach will involve at least some bushwhacking through the scrub oak... Descend from atop the third pitch--a double rope rappel from slings in trees will put you on the ground just uphill and to the east of the start of the route.

Bring a standard rack with cams from micros to fists--doubles may be useful.