Summit Route (Directissimma)

This route will take you to the true summit of the South Summit of Green Mountain (SSGM). This description begins on the saddle between Skunk and Bear Canyon. Follow the high point of the saddle uphill directly towards the summit block of SSGM. After a few hundred feet of bushwhacking and scrambling uphill, you will reach the toe of the licheny slab.

Pitch 1 (5.easy): step off the ridge to the left, and climb a somewhat polished water groove in a tall, left-facing corner. You'll know you are on the right track if the wall above you looks like it is actively crumbling. Follow this groove for 150-200' to where the wall ends, and there is a wide, flat area with a pine tree immediately at the base of a large, east-facing slab.

Pitch 2 (5.5R): venture up the licheny slab. Several small pine trees work well to sling for pro. Good gear placements are few and far between. The rock is somewhat licheny but generally high quality and not slick. 200' will not get you to the summit ridge, so you will have to belay somewhere along the way.

Pitch 3 (5.5R): continue up the slab to just below the summit ridge. Just below the final summit slab, there is a large (12" diameter) tree for an anchor. We belayed here since the rope drag was getting bad.

WE STOPPED HERE.

Pitch 4 (5.6?): From this tree, climb up to the base of the final summit block. Climb a featured but licheny and unprotected slab to the true summit.

Descent from summit block to summit ridge: we did not make it to the true summit, but from Google Earth, downclimb a short way directly east from the summit to a small tree. Rappel ~60 feet to a large ledge system that allows you to walk easily to the top of pitch 3.

Descent from summit ridge to the ground: climb to the South along the ridge from the pitch 3 belay, possibly overcoming a large block. About 100' South along the ridge, look to the west for 3 bolts drilled in the rock (2 close together, 1 about 3' away). These do not have rappel rings so you may need to replace the webbing. Rappel a rope-stretching 100' to the West.

The route description begins from West of the Dinosaur Mountain Summit. You can approach by hiking up Bear Canyon to the first large gully that drains the West side of Dinosaur Mountain. Hike the ridge up the right side of that gully until you gain the ridgeline separating separating Skunk Canyon and Bear Canyon.

A standard rack. Bring webbing and a knife to replace the rappel anchor if necessary.