The Sting

Whether Smoot and Ellison's reference was to the poised scorpion-like spire or the popular 1973 blockbuster is unclear but The Sting is worthy of far more ascents than it has received throughout the years as well as "Best Picture." This line has a mix of hardman free-climbing and oldschool aid that just might get you praying to Robert Redford and Paul Newman.

Pitch One: Ever-widening handcrack going from thin to wide hands and maybe a stack or two. Clean albeit sharp rock with good gear. There are a few options to finish out the pitch. The GG suggests finishing below the ramp which will require building your own belay. The next 40 feet of slab, however, can and really should be linked to the first pitch by easy climbing up the ramp to a large slung bush. The old sling has been backed up with two fixed nuts for a better anchor to belay your second. One might also finish via a traverse left. To do this move down-canyon underneath the ramp along sparsely protected slab on exposed terrain to the bolted anchor of Ring that Bell. (5.9)

Pitch Two: Continue up into the splitter crack inside the right-facing dihedral on the pillar below the spire. Clip a fixed nut/bashie low down and get ready for some thin finger jamming and an airy roof  finish on incut holds. Protects well and has cleaned up really nice. No doubt the most classic pitch on the route. Above the roof on the left wall a new 2-bolt anchor now hangs. (5.9+)

Pitch 3: The aid pitch! The overhanging seam takes a nut, small cams in pin-scars and then finger-sizes. The rock gets progressively worse. Easily aided clean even without micros or brassies but they might come in handy.  The ladder-climbing is strait-forward and enjoyable. After pulling above the overhang the crack continues less steeply but the rock quality (as on all the Bell Towers) begins to deteriorate quickly. Pass a bush and finish out on juggy huecos and pull the kitty-litter-lip to summit. Belay from the big slung tree behind the pinnacle, by slinging the sting itself, or a combination of the two. Protect the rope against sharp edges if fixing.

Descent: Rappelling off the steel beaner on the tree webbing might put you out into space and too far out right. Simul-rapping the final pitch on either side of the sting is truly the safest, easiest way back to the top of pitch two. From there another rap straight down the chimney/offwidth gets you to the RTB anchor and a final 30-meter rap to the ground.

Note: The route now goes free via technical stemming and a desperate tips lye-back through the seem. Could be considered PG13, the feet are gritty and suspect and protection above the crux moves is dubious. Be aware the FFA efforts saw two falls resulting in ripped gear and near-ground falls.

An obvious sharp spire jutting from the far eastern flank of the West Bell tower marks the summit feature of The Sting. After crossing the river above the first waterfall and crossing through the oldtimer's camp follow the trail upcanyon and cut up the hill. Skirt two rock bands on the right side and following the faint cuttings till you enter scrub-oak. Forge ahead into the tall pines and scramble up a few large blocks. You should be directly underneath the shady overhanging face on the east end of the tower. Brad's "Ring that Bell," sporting the bold roof-climbing, is on the left. The first 5.9 handcrack of The Sting is just a few meters from it on climber's right where the wall pulls out of the alcove and changes from overhang to slab.

Doubles tips to to #4. Extra .4 and plenty of small nuts. More alpine draws than you want to bring.