Lunar Ecstasy

This is a great clean aid line to the left of the

Moonlight Buttress

route. A beautiful, straight-up line with lots of good nutting and tricky clean aid. The original first two pitches are loose and not recommended. Pitches 1 and 2 follow

Moonlight Buttress

. Leave bags below the anchors of pitch 1 where the 5.10 variation goes.

P1

(5.8) Start way left and scramble up 3rd class ledges and toss rope around bushes. Belayer needs to go up a few ledges (about 20 feet) so that 60 meter rope will reach anchors.

P2

(5.10 or C1) Traverse right and throw overhang with small gear. Follow crack to anchors below large, closed-book corner. Don't haul on pitch 2, just drag haul line up P2 and P3 then easy haul from anchors on top of P3.

P3

(5.10 or C1)

Moonlight

goes right,

Lunar

goes left up through large, flared chimney with a good crack in back. Good free climbing, much easier than aiding.

P4

(5.9 C1) Can be done in two sections; not a bad idea due to rope drag. From ledge ascend obvious crack (5.9) to mantle, traverse right ~15-20 feet to bolt and beginning of C1 and the Halfmoon Traverse. If done in two sections can easily belay from nice ledge above mantle and haul all of pitch as one.

P5

(C2) Begins the real meat of the route. Some fixed pieces to a Steep, thin crack. Hanging belay.

P6

(C2) Pitch is called "Leapfrogging Aliens" and that's what you do. Steep, thin crack. Hanging belay.

P7

(C2+) Same thing - steep, thin crack, this time broken by the Amoeba, a large mass of rock mysteriously clinging to rock face. The top of the pitch has dicey, sandy, mandatory 5.7 move to anchors.

P8

(5.8 C1) From belay ledge carefully free climb (5.8) up sandy rock steps to crack. Possible to place small gear in horizontal crack. Easy C1 up crack takes you to huge ledge.

P9

Two options: The original finish goes up right from multi-bolt anchor and has loose sections with mandatory free climbing. The Jarrett Finish (recommended) starts from the left side of the large ledge from the two bolt anchor.

P9 Jarrett Variation

(C1) Loose C1 at start to bomber, steep, and exposed C1 for bulk of route. Finishes at two bolt anchor at lip. Can back up bolts with extra lead line tied to tree. Bring bags and follower(s) up to two-bolt station first. Then, make easy work bringing pigs and people over lip.

Bivy

Huge ledge on top of Pitch 3 with 1 distanced pin, three equalized bolts, and one distanced bolt. Good for two portaledges.

Good ledge on top of pitch 4 with three equalized bolts and additional bolt for portaledge. Best suited for one portaledge.

Pitch 7 is okay bivy with three or four bolts and one pin. Easy to set up two ledges.

Huge, monstrous ledge on top of pitch 8; two bolts on left side of ledge and multiple anchors on right (2 or 3 pins and 3 or 4 bolts). Great for multiple ledges.

Ledge on top of pitch 3 could be slept on without portaledge, although uncomfortably. Pitch 8 would be a great sleeper ledge without portaledge.

Topo

Offset aliens and nuts work great. Multiple sets of aliens, as many as five per certain sizes. Up to #4 Camalot with 1 each #3, 3-1/2, & 4. 2 sets ball nuts. Didn't need hooks. 60 meter ropes recommended.