Ancient Futures

Technical and thought-provoking, Ancient Futures is a great rock climb that flirts with Epinephrine but takes a mostly independent line up a beautiful stretch of rock just right of the Black Tower. Begin as for Epi.

P1-2: Climb the first three pitches of Epinephrine which are easily linked into two pitches right up to the bottom of the main chimney.

P3: Just right of the main chimney, climb a slot formed by a huge, wedged pillar of rock. Near the top there is a bolt around to the left that protects some awkward and difficult moves out of the slot and up to a belay ledge with bolts. 5.10d, 110'.

P4: Continue up a thin crack, clipping a bolt off the belay, and then stem with great difficulty out right to a flake. Continue up this (hollow?) flake to the right-facing corner above and an excellent rest. From here the climbing gets really difficult: Instincts may tell you to stem desperately up the corner, but the way to go is unlikely: Work up sloping holds on the face to the right for a body-length before collapsing back into the corner and some thank-god jugs. Two bolts protect this crux, and above is some wide climbing that will feel downright easy, though it's probably 5.9 or 5.10. Belay at a bolted anchor on a ledge. 5.12a, 140'.

P5: The route apparently originally climbed up a severely overhanging, leaning, and yes, blank, corner above the belay passing two bolts. This seemed very 5.12 to me, so I instead pre-clipped the second bolt and down-climbed from the belay and moved right to an improbable, hidden crack. Great 5.11 climbing up this crack rejoins the original line just above the corner. Continue up through a roof and tricky face climbing and gear to a stance. Above is a stretch of bolted face climbing up fragile holds. This climbing is spectacular, interesting, and exposed, but the holds are flexing - without a very delicate touch this pitch could be destroyed - use caution! Belay on a narrow ledge at a bolted anchor. 5.11+, 140'.

P6: A very difficult move right off the belay past a bolt leads to some scary, frightening, and balancey moves back to the left where, if memory serves me correctly, there's gear and/or some bolts. I remember thinking I'd annihilate my belayer if I fell off this section. Above, some easy climbing up the right side of the Elephant's Trunk leads past a bolt and wildly up soft rock to the top of the trunk. 5.10++, 150'

Rap the route with two ropes or continue up Epinephrine.

Single set of cams from blue Alien/0 TCU to #3 Camalot, wires, at least a dozen draws/slings, two ropes.