Step Right Up

Gillett wrote that this route provides an alternative second pitch to

Foul Line

. I led the right-hand start of

FL

, climbing a dirty gully in a left-facing block/dihedral system, being careful to avoid some perched blocks. At about 60 feet and 10 feet to the left lies a modern two-bolt anchor. At about 70 feet, I clipped an older 3/8” bolt that had two links attached to its hanger.

FL

stays to the left from here on. I continued up the slab, clipping two modern bolts. Higher, I placed a Stopper in a horizontal, traversed right, placed a red Dragon in the horizontal, and moved up and right to a bolt. I moved up to another bolt and made a reachy crux move. Higher and leftish, I placed a red C3 in a horizontal, then ran it to the anchor. I linked both pitches and was lowered to the ground, with a 90m rope, with a meter or two to spare. The slab climbing on the second half had lots of excellent fingertip grips.

Gillett wrote that, during his investigation of Pon’s route info, he was unable to find the two bolts that Pon said protected a 5.8 slab on a second pitch. I suspect that someone removed one. Someone else has since upgraded both bolted anchors and added the perfect amount of bolts, which, combined with gear placements, make an excellent second pitch with the right amount of spice. I give this second pitch four stars.

Five bolts and a standard rack through three inches. I placed two #2 C4s.