Core Blimey

P1-start up into the pod and transition (5.9) into the short, splitter, thin hands crack, which gets easier a bit higher up. Traverse right at the (or just before the) orange dike. This section has poor pro, but is relatively low key. Gear anchor at the base (sandy ledge) of the pinnacle.

P2-head up the short, easy crack between pinnacle and wall to the top of the pinnacle, then face climb a short section up to a bolt and short diagonal section (5.9). Continue up the wide flare with a perfect finger crack in the back (5.8). Traverse diagonal up and right to some bushes for 10' and belay (gear/natural).

P3-step diagonally right across a small bush and gain a perfect, low angle,

easy hand crack (SWEET!)

. Go up and traverse slightly left via a lieback and gain a short (easy) fat crack. At the top of the fat section continue for a few feet, but then traverse up and right out onto the slab (look for the first bolt,

watch rope drag

). Pass a horizontal and two more bolts to the top of the pillar (good stance and bolted belay). It is possible to look down onto 'Chip Of The Ol' Block' from the middle of the slab section on this pitch (around the 2nd bolt) and the whole pitch presents incredible fun climbing.

This is the end of the route and it is possible to rap 'Chip Off The Ol' Block'. However, the route can be extended to climb the 4th pitch of 'Chip Off The Ol' Block' as shown on the topo. This is a pretty natural continuation.

P4(Chip Off The Ol' Block)-from the P3 anchor climb up past two large holes into a shallow, right trending corner, just left of a large bush. Poor pro, some decking potential. Gain and surmount the small lip (5.9)and lieback/face climb up a shallow left facing corner/flake to a thin horizontal. Continue up on easy face (thin pro), pass another bush on the left and continue up a perfect thin hands crack to a horizontal. The short face section above is unprotected, but several choices in the 5.6-5.8 range exist. Two bolt anchor.

'Core Blimey' is an excellent route with a variety of climbing, including some stellar, straight-in, thin hand cracks (that are unfortunately short). If this route was in the Valley it would be as popular as 'Central Pillar of Frenzy' or any of the other classics in that general grade range.

I would

not

call this

a good beginner's route

because it is solid 5.9, has a stout fat flare/finger crack on P2, and sports poor/no pro in several sections, mainly the traverse on P1 and if the continuation on P4 (Chip Off The Ol' Block) is climbed as shown on the topo pic.

'Core Blimey' is the right of two cracks about 50' left of 'Chip Off The Ol' Block'. Follow the approach for Chip Off The Ol' Block, then scramble around a small boulder to the left. Traverse further left on sandy ledges and slightly up to the striking hand crack that has a pod just below.

Standard rack (doubles) to 2", one or two 3-3.5" pieces optional to protect a short fat section on P3.