Reach for the Beach

This climb has a direct start, which climbs up the face directly beneath the hand crack about 15 feet high. There are a couple opportunities for protection before getting all the way to the crack. The other start utilizes a crack system to the right, and then traverses back left to join the proper hand crack. Climb the hand crack to a couple of poorly equalized slung plates (fixed carbiner is tri-loaded, and proper equalization is necessary to make this a safe piece of fixed gear. Climb above the plates and traverse right and up into a fist crack. Make some tricky moves in the fist crack and top out onto a ledge. Walk about 15 feet right to a single bolt anchor.

The route is to the right of Laceration. Just uphill and climbers left from the little stream flowing from underneath the head height overhangs. You will see a clean face with some edges and pockets that climbs up through a hemlock branch to the hand crack; this is the direct start. Once you lead the climb to the top and set up the anchor on the single bolt, it is best to belay your partner from the top and rappel.

Standard rack of cams and nuts from .3 - 3 inches. Direct start is protectable, and does not warrant the R rated start indicated in the guidebook. The slung plates must be used with care, as the tri-loaded biner is unsafe. The anchor set up at the top is very inconvenient. It is essentially impossible to clean this climb on rappel or on a lower, so be sure that you have a capable second who can follow and clean this climb.