Big Dog

This is a hard route with a bit of poor rock. If the topo is correct for route location, the crux is on black Alien-sized gear through an overhang in so-so rock at 5.11. If the text is correct, then it is wide gear through a roof and we didn't try that an are not so sure. The description here reflects my experience of trying the thinner, left-hand line through the bulge.

Scramble up from the base, starting low and right, near the base of the raps. Scramble on a system of left-rising ledges that pass several small trees and bushes to reach a ledge maybe 40' over the base of the rock. There lies below a shallow, right-facing corner with several cracks and insets along its way. This system lies directly below the right hand side of the North summit tower. The first pitch lies ahead with about 60-70.' The rock is mostly good, solid protection is available, and the line is obvious, going at about 5.8. Climb this to a ledge below the obvious bulge. A belay is not immediately apparent there, but looking back into the depths of a downward sloping horizontal crack, one can find placements for Camalots #1, 2, and 3 for a very solid belay, given that you have a cordalette to clip back into it. Belay here for sure, do not try to continue (says the guy who prefers to run 2-3 pitches together on most routes).

From the belay, took to the right. The text of the Haas guidebook says to traverse right 15', then to "surmount a gymnastic lip", and climb onward to the top. The tops shows the line going diagonally through the overhanging block on a very thin crack, joined to the ledge by a poor right-facing flare and crack. The rock here is so-so. We chose to attempt the thin line, as it was most direct. This may have been the wrong line, but it is what we did. Climb up and over into the short section of right-facing crack and place a few bits of gear. Reach up into the overhang and get established, then place a few more bits of gear into the diagonal. These are red X4 or black Alien-sized. One blew out on my partner on her first attempt when she hung on it (and eventually backed off from). I was able to back these up with a red Alien to the right (also in so-so rock) and attempted a hard 5.11 sequence to go up and right on a rail when that blew out on me, tearing up my fingers pretty badly. After grabbing gear and stepping in a sling to re-establish myself and get back up, I was able to reach the top ledge (not great) and pull into a mantel above the black Alien. YMMV.

Pull up onto the ledge, being wary of some loose rock and of the fact that you are now 5'+ over an "aid only" piece... traverse right and over to the large crack at the edge of the ledge (awkward) and place a #3 or 3.5" Friend up in a constriction in it. Be mindful that you have just put a large traverse in above the crux with minimal gear for your partner.

Moderate to easy 5.10 crack climbing then leads to the top on gear from 1.5-4"  A #4 Camalot is not necessary if you have 2 x #3s or better yet, two #3s and an old #3.5" (recall that one of these is probably in the belay). Likewise 2 #2s can be good, as there is a crux bulge to finish, and one of these is also still in the belay.

Over the top, a pair of green Aliens (or just one) can produce a good directional for the rope, then the belay is back in a short crack. I set it with a 1" cam, a 1.5" cam, and a large stopper on a cord. I pulled the gear at the lip out to let the rope run through the final bulge crack so that my partner could jam without it in her way, for which she was thankful.

This route climbs a system of cracks just down and to the right (South) of the true summit of the formation. Scramble up to a spot just in front of a twin-trunked Juniper tree and set up a belay there. The route goes in 2x pitches to the top, 5.8 and 5.11, respectively.  The rock on P1 is good, but there are less-good sections of rock on P2.

Tape up or suffer some of the rouger jams on P2.

To regain the ground, scramble down to the South about 30' to gain a healthy pine tree with slings that are a bit less healthy... they need to be replaced. 3 very old slings are presently there and can be rapped to a ledge (80' + downclimb) or to the ground (105').

Pulling the rope could result in snags that would be easily retrieved if necessary, as the rock at the bottom of this line might only be 5.4 or so.

Gear from tiny cams (2 black Aliens or equivalent) and up to 3.5", with optional #4 Camalot. An extra #3 Camalot is nice to have on the top pitch, as one is likely in the belay. So take 3. Better yet, take 2 #3s and an old #3.5 for perfect protection. A new #4 C4 is slightly too big for most placements.