The Whistle Stop

A fun route up a beautiful face with a short approach. This is the easier version of The Flakes but is a bit more runout to start. It shares the same, delicate, balancy crux. Windy days can make this spooky for the inexperienced second, says my wife.

Begin to the right of some boulders up the boulder field above the large cement slab by the river. This is just right of

C'est La Vie

and left of the bench between Whale's Tail and Redgarden Wall. It is a few feet right of

The Flakes

.

There is little opportunity for clean protection on the first bit of this climb. Climb up and then on a diagonal ramp to the left. Find a pin. Move up on good face holds toward a crack. Find good pro along this crack with wires and small-medium cams. The crack fades and you clip a bolt. Climb past this through a brief crux requiring more balance and finesse than power to a undercling. Place a #3 or #3 1/2 Friend to protect your second or risk a whopping screamer if your second peels above the bolt. Traverse about 25 feet left on a sloping ledge to the 2 bolt anchor. 140 feet of fun climbing.

Thankfully, the anchor has been improved with 2 modern bolts in solid rock in 2000 by ACE and the FHRC. It used to be a pin behind a hollow flake with a bashie that just made you wonder. Note, it is 30m to the level of scrambling off. Pay attention when you get to the end of your ropes since you do not reach walking ground with a single 60m rope.

Gary Stetler notes that the Ericson guide rated this 5.7. Hey, but that's the same gifted author who put up, via on sight solo,

Blind Faith

and thought it was 5.9.

Eldo rack, wires, cams to 3 1/2 inches. Single 60m rope is nice to rap.