VMC Direct Direct

Not just my favorite climb in the East, but one of my favorites anywhere. Beautiful, sustained, well-protected, exposed climbing. CLASSIC.The route is located in the big wall section (middle-left) of the cliff. The route starts under the right end of the 200' wide roof feature half way up the cliff.P1. Up slabby corner to top of buttress. 100' 5.7. Hope you are warmed up by this point because the climbing is hard from here on out.P2. Work right up right-leaning dihedral to awkward mantle back to the left and up ramp. Turn back right again and get into the business - undercling an overlap to a right facing corner continue up to a bolt belay. 120' 5.10+P3. Hard moves off the belay into the next corner, follow through and overlap (takes orange Metolius). The book calls this 5.10+ and the alternative undercling to the right a 5.10, though I find the direct route easier. 130', 5.10+P4. Climb rotten rock to a bolt, move left to a rt-facing and the face w/ a bolt. Face climb to a corner (very difficult when wet) to bolt belay. 120' 5.9 (mentally hard).P5. Hard friction off the anchor (5.11), or right then up (5.10R). Continue past face traversing left to shallow dihedral and slabs w/a small overlap. 5.11P6. Climb through blocky headwall, moving right then up a shallow lt-facing corner to slabs. Continue w/poor protection to the cow's mouth.[ NOTE: The following comments by Paul Madry seems worthy of inclusion in the route description. R Hall NH Admin.  Climbed the route 08/02/19.  Pitch 6 is altered. The huge dark obelisk fell down. As you traverse /diagonal right, the only pro is an old bolt ( really bad, like Salvador Dali melting sculpture bad). It’s 5.7R , and wet most of the time. Going straight up from pitch 5 final headwall ( or traversing right low early in pitch 6 ) may be better. New guidebook describes it as an option.   The good news is that pitch 5 seemed much cleaner, I think some loose rock came down with the obelisk.P7. Hard, wild undercling out the right side of the roof (there are great holds above the lip - have faith). 5.10+(P8 and 9) easy slabs to summit.

In the big wall section in the middle of the cliff. Starts about 50' left of a huge roof that is about 80' off the ground on the right edge of the big wall section.

I don't recall needing a #3, but it would be good to bring at least one. Small to medium nut placements abound. Wires and an orange metolius are critical for the third pitch.