Desert Solitaire

Access this stellar route via the Lower Independence Monument trail. The route is located 400 yards up trail from Monolith Spire and 1/4 mile before Independence Monument. Look right for the beautiful lightning bolt splitter 2 pitches up with a left-angling, 4th class ramp leading to it. Approach via drainage after trail passes in between two large boulders. This route is south-facing and very sunny.

P1. Crux pitch. Locate a beautiful left-facing Wingate corner that leads to a left-arcing hand crack. 110 feet of the best the Monument has to offer leads to a perfect 3 bolt anchor with chains, 11a.

P2. Choose your own adventure. Either coil yer ropes and traverse around right or climb interesting 5.6+ choss straight up. Either way requires some 3rd class junk.

P3. Choose a better adventure. Now you have the choice between splitter hands via the lightning bolt crack or another perfect Wingate corner. Bolts with chains at top of corner, 5.10ish, 55 feet.

P4. Climb excellent fingers straight up from the chains with a few interesting aid moves to a new bolt. Belay in a cool pod thing from bolts, 10a C1, 60 feet.

P5. Continue up the crack fingers to excellent tight hands to a large belay ledge with a fixed anchor, 11a, 60 feet.

P6. Climb one of the cracks off the ledge into a chimney below a block. Continue through roof with hands to a 2 bolt anchor, 5.9, 60 feet. Rap from here.

Descent:

One 60m rope will get you off in 2 raps with a 4 class downclimb. A 65m would be better. A note on combining pitches: pitches 3 and 4 can easily be done together with the standard rack. Combining pitches 4 and 5 would require extra small cams. If you don't have a bunch of time, pitches 1 and 2 are sooo good.

Enjoy! Aaron and Eric

Your six favorite md-large nuts, six draws. 2 sets cams TCUs to #1 Camalot. 5 #2 Camalots (#3 Friends fit better.) 1 #3 Camalot.