Thin Ice

An adventurous 'old-school' style route with typical limited/difficult protection. This route doesn't see much traffic, so there is a lot of exfoliating granite and some lichen/moss on the upper pitches. That said, if you like the challenge of a route that will make you feel like you are on the FA, with cracks, mild O/W, slabby face and some exposure, this is one to go for.  One 70m or two ropes required for the descent.

P1) 5.7. Climb the corner to a break in the roof, and move right through the roof.  The book calls for setting an anchor at that point, but up the crack 15-20' there are better anchor options. The crack at the very start of this pitch has a bush growing out of it, so we slogged a bit higher up the gulley and stepped onto a nice sloping ledge to start.

P2) 5.8. Traverse right on the rust streak to another crack.  There are multiple cracks; we chose the one that appeared to be the second to the last.  Looking up this crack you can see a hand-traverse crack heading right at the top. The anchor is sketchy; the left bolt is a button head through an aluminum angle and the right is an old bolt of indeterminate size and age with a regular hanger. No rings; there were two carabiners with the gates taped shut, which we left in place. It appears you could bail right into the gulley at this point if desired.

P3) 5.10A, 3 bolts.  Climb the face left and up from the anchor; you’ll see the first bolt about 15’ away. At the big ledge, walk to the right end and build an anchor.  Exfoliating granite makes the slabby moves a bit exciting; we had to clean the rock and our shoes for each move. This is a very short pitch and you only need three draws for protection; no other pro.

P4) 5.9, 1 bolt. A bulgy start at the bolt continues with a difficult to protect pitch.  There may be multiple options for this pitch; we stayed to the right at the edge of the drop-off. Good anchor/stances about 20 meters up, but it appears you could combine this pitch with the next. Starting to get into some lichen and heavier exfoliation.

P5) 5.7.  Interesting weathered flakes on this pitch.  More lichen. Easy top out.

Descend via Joint Effort.  Scramble climbers left around the back side of the buttress, keeping an eye out for new rappel rings on the upper face.  Four 35m rappels.  Be sure to rappel pretty much straight down; if you go climbers left to the anchors above the roof on In Dubious Battle, you'll need two ropes to rappel from there.  Hike over to the anchors at the top of Youngerberry, and five more 35m rappels get you back to your packs.

The last left facing corner on the right edge of the Elderberry Buttress upper tier.  The best approach is via Youngberry.  Hike up PSOM to about Rattlesnake Errands then head up and right and over the toe of the Elderberry buttress (not below the toe - over it).  Follow a vague trail up until you can rock hop up the middle of the gulley to stay out of the loose sand.  You'll eventually hit a not-well-used switchback trail that ends at a nice platform at the base of Youngerberry. Climb Youngerberry, unrope and hike across the base of the upper tier and up the next gulley a bit.

Standard rack through 4"