Open Minded

This route is the culmination of Arrow Minded and Narrow Minded. Back in the '80s, John Kaandorp and Steve Demaio put up Arrow Minded, 5.9 A2, which basically goes up the left side of the large arrow feature but dead ends at the apex. There is evidence that they also attempted the right side of the arrow feature, given that there is a bail anchor halfway up on the right side.

Enter the late 2000s, Bryan Gilmore began working on a complete free variation. He rappelled in mini-traxioning and cleaning the upper pitches above the apex of the arrow roof. He made one attempt at freeing the upper pitches with Steve House and ultimately ended up only redpointing the top 3 pitches. Due to having to move out of state and being short on time, he never ended up scoping out the pitches below the apex of the arrow or completing the entire line.

Open Minded is a completion of Gilmore's original vision. It goes directly up the OW on the right side of the arrow feature (marked NO! in Zeilman's "The Black" guide) and joins into Narrow Minded at the apex of the roof. Technically Arrow Minded has not been freed, since it goes up the left side of the arrow. All said and done, it's a 2 star route with a couple 3 star pitches. Check out Vic Zeilman's awesome guidebook "The Black" for more info and topos.

Pitches:

1. Go up easy, chossy, 5.6ish corners to a large ledge with a massive boulder on it, 100 feet (no stars).

2. (12-) Start in the OW on the left side of the ledge. It starts off with a couple awkward OW moves then quickly becomes a 5.10 hand and fist crack up to a bombay roof with an old bail anchor. From here, wiggle your way into the steep OW, and blue collar your way to the anchor at the apex of the arrow, 115 feet (3 stars).

3. (12c ish) Pull through the cool roof at the apex of the arrow, which quickly turns into a hand crack. Then traverse right on good hand jams to a vertical finger crack. Get a good rest, then go up the finger crack, clip a fixed nut, and fight the pump on the traverse out right that ends on a large ledge around the arete. Save a #3 for the first traverse and a #2 cam for the second traverse. This pitch is a bit dirty, 110 feet (1.5 stars).

4. (12-) Go up easy OW passing a small river of bird poo to a steep finger crack layback. Do a couple hard pulls past a fixed nut to a large hand rail, then go up the chimney to the top of the tower, 100 feet (2 stars).

5. (5.12) Go up layback flake to a sloping hand rail traverse then up again through bouldery thin face to a large ledge. This is the best pitch on the route, 70 feet (3 stars).

6. (5.11) Climb solid peg past a couple bolts to roof, clip another bolt, then climb left, then go up on sloping holds to a good flake just above the next roof. Then head up and right to the top. This pitch is heads up with poor rock quality, 80 feet (no stars).

It is located in Chillumstone Gully on the left side. Try to stay on the left side of the gully to gain a bench that keeps you high for easier access.

1 x grey to yellow Metolius,

1 x 0.4-0.75 BD,

2 x #1 -3 BD,

1 x new #4,

1 x old #4,

2 x new #5 or old #4.5,

1 x # 6,

1 set of nuts,

couple RPs,

7 runners, and

4 draws.