Pull My Finger

So named because we thought we were climbing the standard route up Finger Rock. In the end, we agreed that this longer route was a much better ending to the very full-on approach than the anticlimactic standard route would have been.

Instead of skirting the base climbers right to the Northeast face, begin as soon as the trail meets the rock on the obvious 3rd class ramp. Scramble up to a big hole with a tree, rope up, and climb the first pitch, which has one move of 5.7 or so about 80' up (otherwise this pitch too could be scrambled. Belay at the big obvious tree. Pitch 2 climbs the chimney to a good ledge (15') and then another 15-20' to another good ledge. The summit of this pinnacle of rock is only 10' higher. Belay at the tree, and if confused about which route you are climbing (like we were), things will all make sense as you see the true pinnacle of Finger Rock in front of you. A short, cool, exposed traverse across a "rock rib" brings you to the second pitch of the Standard Route. Belay, or not, and climb to the spectacular summit.

Begins on obvious 3rd class ramp as soon as the trail meets the rock.

Also, a note about the approach. About 10-15 minutes of hiking into the drainage, the trail exits (surprisingly) up onto the ridge to the right. It looks like you're going up the wrong mountain at first, but at the top of the ridge the climbers' trail take a quick dip across the canyon to the other side where Finger Rock Canyon is located. If you stay in the drainage, expect it to add another 2-3 hours to the approach and wear you out even more from the miles of boulder hopping. There is, however, lots of shade, and a rewarding stream / spring in the summer time.

Single rack to bd #2, nuts.