Rain Dance

Rain Dance certainly has some super fun cracks on quality rock, but I don't think this route deserves three stars either. If coming up to do it, make sure you do another route the same day (see

Refugium

).

The 1st 5.9 pitch on this route consists of beautiful finger cracks up a perfect slab. In my opinion, the best pitch of either Rain Dance or

Refugium

. From there continue via variations (the .9+ is fun but thin) to the top. Note: watch out for loose chicken heads on top of last pitch!

Per

Ken Duncan

: the description below assumes use of a 70m rope, most of it should go the same with a 60m. Start on a ledge above the highest grassy point right of the starting slabs for

Arrowplane

,

etc

. There are great belay ledges all the way!

P1. Climb the groove and fins above to a grassy slope 5.6. Belay at the highest grassy point.

P2. Angle up and left the the top of the big, right-facing dihedral, then head straight up to another large, grassy ledge, 5.7.

P3. Climb the groove/flake feature above to a third large grassy ledge 5.6. Belay here or on the rock ledge down and right below the P4 crack.

P4. The money pitch. Climb the left-angling crack up the sweeping slab 5.8 at the start, then it gets easier. Continue along the crack as it arches left into the left-facing dihedral 5.9 then up to an optional belay ledge on the right. Hand traverse a flake left then climb the thin crack up to another big, grassy ledge 5.9+/10a.

P5. From the left end of the ledge, climb a short dihedral, then angle left up a grassy slope. Head back right and climb a short 5.8 chimney to a ledge. Now you have three options, a right-angling groove that heads into the dihedral 5.8, the dihedral 5.9, or the right wall 5.10a. Choose one and take it to the top.

Standard, high peak rack with some extra thin gear.

Per

Ken Duncan

: bring extra small to medium cams.