Swan Slab Gully

Three pitches of climbing that gets better and better with height. Finishes on a cool ledge with excellent views. All in all, straight-forward and fun.

P1 (5.6, 70')

Jam and stem your way up 70 feet of cracks in a gully. Belay from a big oak tree on a spacious ledge.

P2 (5.5, 130')

Perhaps the least aesthetic pitch on the climb. Follow a crack in an obvious corner. After approximately 80 feet, step right and follow cracks up mostly-4th class terrain. Belay from a big oak tree on a spacious ledge.

P3 (5.5, 120')

Walk up the gully and head right for about 40 feet along a grassy ledge. Climb up to meet a left-slanting hand crack. Climb the crack until it ends. Traverse right for 25 feet on an unprotected slab (5.4?). Climb a 5.5 finger crack to the top. Belay from trees and bushes.

Located in the middle of the crag, Swan Slab Gully is one of the most obvious and popular climbs on the Swan Slab--look for the line of people immediately right of Penelope's Problem.

If the first pitch is occupied with top-ropers, climb Hanging Flake, which is located around the corner to the right. From the top of Hanging Flake, make a Class 2-3 traverse to the tree atop Swan Slab Gully's first pitch.

Descent (Class 2)

From the ledge atop P3, walk back and left away from the cliff. Turn right and walk up and around a higher tier of rock. Turn left and traverse the top of the tier. Gradually walk back away from the cliff and follow a climbers' trail through the bushes. Eventually, these descend and join a well-worn trail down the west side of Swan Slab.

Small to 3 inches