Custer's Cutoff

Like any cutoff route taking it will lead to an easier passage but getting there may be fraught danger. This route is no different.

Boulder up the ramp to a shallow weakness in the headwall. The headwall is the crux (5.10) as there is scant pro albeit a small TCU placement along a vertical flake midway up. If you blow it, good chance that the landing on the ramp below will be hard. At the top one can reach a bomber crack that takes good pro. Use a long sling as the route now cuts off to the right on very positive holds (5.10). Above lies a very nice layback crack that leads to a short dihedral (5.7). The ramp adjacent to the lieback crack can be slick.

See the topo photo

Small cams up to 1.5"