Pioneer Route

This historic route was the first line up Monkey Face. It begins on the southeast side of the tower.Pitch 1: 5.6 Scramble up a series of ledges to a ramp up and right to a vertical crack that takes you to the notch formed between the main buttress and Monkey face. Once at the notch turn the corner and climb up the face using traditional pro, bolts, and fixed pins. Belay at the left of two anchors on a long ledge.Pitch 2: C0 Move up an overhanging red face on a bolt ladder into the "monkey's mouth." Belay from the unique angle-iron anchors.Pitch 3: 5.7 Move the belay to the east edge of the cave (mouth). Reach out of the cave and move straight up the face for 25 feet on bolts to a ledge with chains on the "nose" boulder. This classic pitch is short but airy. The opening moves have been called "panic point" due to the noticeable exposure.Pitch 4: 5.5 Ascend the boulder at the belay and move northward. Step across a small trough and head for the a bolted anchor on the east side of the summit at a ledge.From here is a 4th class jaunt to the true summit. Be sure to take in the scenery and take pics for your REI catalog cover shot.Descent:Scramble or take a short rappel back to the top of the 3rd pitch. From here there are a few options:1. Take the stunning and free hanging 2 full 60m rope rappel from the nose boulder to the talus below. This is the highlight of the route for many and allows you to also contemplate the insane difficulty of Just Do It. After this double rope rap you can circle back west to the base of the variation or continue up and over the top of the main buttress on the trail.2. Do a short single rope rap back to the cave. Then, take the tyrolean traverse back to the main buttress. (Requires that you fixed a second rope and rapped in from main buttress onto first pitch, trailed rope up to the cave, and know how to actually do a tyrolean (beyond the scope of this description).3. Rap the route. This is not recommended but possible with a single 60m. This requires difficult rope pulling, tensioning to reach anchors, and annoying all the other parties inevitably behind you. Reserve for emergencies.

All anchors are fat bolts or chains. -Single set of cams #.75-#3 camalot -nuts optional - Long slings and 4-5 quickdraws