North Face Crack

This is a very good climb that might be 3* but for a few detractors. It certainly deserves a few more ascents than it gets and might clean up to be a 3* climb if it gets some traffic.

Start off belaying at the large evergreen on the North end of the Main Crag, just up and left of the bolt-and-sling anchors on 'Thin Crack.'

Head up some moderate and chunky terrain up some corners/flakes for 20+ feet to a ledge below a roof that rises up and rightward. Get up that ledge (#3 Camalot behind it for pro if desired), and then reach up and place protection under the roof behind the hanging flake and in the crack that splits it for a few moves. Use long slings at first, as you will be heading sharply to the right under the roof for a while. Jam and undercling to the right alternating high and low according to where the footholds are for a few body lengths, placing gear from 1" to 3" as you find it. Eventually, you come to a place where you have to head down and right, or up and right, either way to join a crack above that climbs up vertically to the top. Double down on protection under the flake/roof and choose a path. I chose high. This may have been correct or not.

Regardless, the climbing was good and somewhat exciting. I could/should have placed 2 pieces before this section or another up in the "notch" before pulling up into it rather than do the crux facing a 30' fall, but that's hindsight. Continue up and right to reach good footing and a very solid fingercrack and easier climbing. Place smaller gear, and head on up until the thin crack ends, then go up easier territory (wide, low angle) to the upper right, or back left on a flake and to the top up and left, again, on easier territory. The bolted anchor is the the left. I climbed the more obvious line to the right then went left at the top to reach the anchor, suggesting to my partner to clean the last piece, then go left for his own safety.

The anchor up top is good for a belay but not a rap.

Scramble off NE then NW on 5.4 to get back down (eventually) to the initial ledge and then the ground.

When the North end of the main crack is viewed from the North side, a crack can be seen to split the face from the top of the center, dropping down and left with a wide crack, down to a section of vertical finger-crack, then further down and sharply left towards the ground under a traversing bulge. Climbing this in reverse the description above is the route.

Gear from 1/2" to 4" with doubles from 1.5-3".

The top anchor is either trad or 2 bolts with standard hangers, not rap hangers. Scramble off to the North to retreat back to the base.