The Dark Star

To those that say that sport climbing is boring, I say hop on the Dark Star. Lots of memorable moves, very cool position, and improbable holds add up to must-do for the sport climber willing to get a little dirty.

The end of the route is somewhat unclimbable now which is why I gave it only 3 stars.

Start by stick clipping the first bolt and climbing to the right of the bolt line to the 2nd bolt. The next 40 feet clocks in the low 5.12 range using sidebulls, jugs, a fingerlock, crimps, the whole shebang. There are jugs periodically but the angle is steeper than it looks, slowly bleeding you. When the angle gets really steep, the moves get bigger but the holds get really big. The crux is pretty obvious, a very steep bulge that looks blank. Use a cool, hidden fingerlock/jug and a slopey undercling to make a very large move up and left to a blind hold. A knee bar can be useful here to check the swing. Now head for the Dark Star, the big hole above, using huge holds in very steep rock. Crawl into the Dark Star and relax, enjoying the waterfall and the view of the river. I stopped here (as have others I've talked to).

The original finish went out the chossy roof crack (no bolts) to the lip of the roof and up the headwall. The headwall seems now to be continually wet as was the roof crack so stopping in the Dark Star seems to make sense. The grade of 13a seems about right stopping here.

On the left side of the Paradise fall ampitheater. Up the face, following a finger seam for a little bit, then out the huge roof to the Dark Star.

Bolts