The Abyss

Start at at a flake coming out of the ground and gain the large overhanging flake above. Likeback the flake and protect with large cams. Trend left to gain the dike, then ascend the dike up and over the false onto the face above. There is a belay somewhere up there but memory has escaped me and I cannot remember the details of the anchor.

It's hard to remember exactly where this route is since we climbed it 20 years ago from the time I make this posting. But, I do remember that it was west facing and around the hill to the north from the NOLS climbs. I am 90% sure that the location I have on the map and in the photo is correct...but hey...it's the West Desert...get ready for an adventure!

You will surely know the route when you see it. It starts at a thick, dominant, overhanging, left-leaning flake with a squared-off bottom. The crack formed by the flake transitions into an intrusive dike face climb higher on the route.

We also climbed another FA in this same spot and called it "F16", though I don't have photos of the route and can't remember it's location. It was memorable, because while we were at the top establishing a belay two F16's made a pass from south to north low in the Tule Valley, close to the mountains. They seemed close enough to reach out and touch, and their thunderous boom seemed to cause the earth to shake!

Large cams, nuts, medium gear. I cannot remember if we placed any bolts. It seems like we did. I remember that we placed at least one bolted belay anchor but hiked down and to the south on the decent for one of the two routes we did that day.