We're giving this page a facelift!
Visit the previous versionto make edits.
Peak Mountain 3

Edge of Chaos

FA John Kear, and Karl Kiser May 2, 2000
CREATED 
UPDATED 

Description

Pitch 1 (5.11a, 120 feet) - The crux of this route is right off the starting ledge. The crux is a short 8ft boulder problem in order to gain the first bolt. The bolt is close and the ledge is big and flat, therefore it is safe to go for it, to get to the bolt only about 10ft up. The rest of pitch 1 traverses up and right for 20 feet to gain seams and cracks that you then follow basically straight up for another 100ft to a large ledge and a tree belay.

Pitch 2 (5.10a, 120 feet) - Walk up a gully for 15-20 ft, chimney up and step on to the left wall of the chimney. Climb a short crack and step right on clean face climbing and continue up to a small ledge. Climb straight up on easy terrain to a bolt then continue straight up to another tree below a nice left facing corner, belay here. 

Pitch 3 (5.10d, 100 feet) - Climb up the clean corner above and turn the roof on the left. Just above the roof step right around the arete into a steep stemming corner. Climb straight up for 20ft to a bulge, step right and continue on easier terrain up to a ledge with a bolted belay.

Pitch 4 (5.10a, 165 feet) - Climb the nice corner on the right or the crack system near the arete on the left. Either way make your way back to the main corner system up to the right. Climb excellent cracks in the corner and on the face toward an A-frame bulge straight above. Turn the bulge then 1. either down and right then up or 2. go left then up to another ledge with a bolted belay.

Pitch 5 (5.9, 60 feet) - For those who must summit, climb right or left off the belay then up on easier terrain to gain the summit. Lesser quality climbing but a nice summit. 

Location

Edge of Chaos is located on the far NW end of Chaos Crag. The start of the route is off a ledge system about 50 ft off the ground. Gain this ledge system by traversing in from the right.

(Additional comments from Mattb19)

When you get to the base of the wall you will look up and see a big clean wall. Keep walking north dropping down a little and then hiking back uphill over large downed trees (stay up against the wall). As soon as you bushwhack through a few thorn bushes and the wall starts to look like its a bunch of broken up ledges you have found the route. We traversed in from the left side of a ledge.

Descent: The descent is via rappel. From the summit rap 60ft to the top of P4. From here rap 165ft to the top of P3. From the top of P3 rap 165ft to a large tree basically straight down. The tree is on a ridge formed by the juncture of the W and NW faces. There is a good rappel anchor in-situ. From the tree rap 140ft to the starting ledge.

Protection

Standard Sandia Rack to .5 - 3''. There are: 3 bolts on P1 1 bolt on P2 Bolted anchors on the top of pitch 3 & 4.


Routes in Chaos Crag