The Big Brown Eye

This two pitch face and crack climb heads directly up the center of the south face of Diarrhea Dome, via discontinuous crack systems and steep thin face climbing.

Pitch 1. Begin behind a tree. Climb a hand crack up to where it ends, then make delicate face traverse left (5.10c) to another crack which ends about halfway up the face in a large oval shaped section of excellent patina. This in fact is the "Big Brown Eye." Until the belay/old bolt situation is fixed, you might want to belay here.

Note: The Bartlett Wonderland Guide suggests climbing up past the crux to the bolt on the dike, then heading down and left all the way to the bolted anchor on Manly Dike. This does not seem to be a good substitute for a decent belay on this route (and possible separate rap off).

Pitch 2. From the top of the patina, a bolt protects very thin face moves up and left (5.11a - and pretty hard at that) which lead to a dike (a hangerless button head protects getting onto the dike -- bring a wired stopper) [Q: Is this an original bolt?] and another bolt higher up. Ideally, a bolted belay should be established at this 3rd bolt.

Move up and left on run out easier face (5.9/10) to a last bolt. Now a long traverse left (5.8) to a couple crack systems and face that lead up and right to the top.

Descents: Unless you have two ropes (or perhaps a 70+ meter single), you can not get back down the south face. Instead head over to the north side of the rock and make a short (60+ feet) rap off a tree into a small canyon. From here either:

A. Tunnel under boulders in the gully and then make a 95 foot rap off the bolted anchor atop Book of Changes into the Grotto; or

B. Stay higher and downclimb steep slabs on the right side of the gully until you can drop into the Grotto.

In either event, from the Grotto, scramble out and over the south notch to return to the base.

Many 1 to 2 inch pieces (.75 to 2+ Camalots) with a couple smaller. Draws and runners (to reduce rope drag).