A great climb which is a better and more direct start to Valhalla than that route's first pitch. When originally done it had only two bolts and traversed sharply left to a belay on Log Ledge; it has been re-engineered and now with four bolts is well protected. Rope drag can be a problem if only using short quickdraws - take some slings.

Start just right of Valhalla's first pitch and climb scoops up and slightly right past two bolts and then continue straight up past two more to join Valhalla at the first bolt (5.11a) on that route's second pitch. Higher, weave your way up past six more bolts to a bolted anchor. Continue above via Valhalla or rap 80' to Log Ledge and then make another rap (60') back to your packs.

Excellent if done as a single pitch or as an alternate start to Valhalla. The combination of smearing low on the route to edging higher up adds a nice touch to this fun route.

Nirvana

Hesitation

Valhalla

New Generation

Sundance Arete

Quiet Desperation

My Generation

X Generation

Last of the Mohicans

Sundance

The Drain Pipe

Bukatude Direct

Red Rain

Gates of Delirium

Arrowhead

Still Savage

You Flew Here, We Grew Here (Link-up)

Sidewinder

Buttress Chimney

Golden Oldies

First Pitch

Hesitation Direct

Speaking in Tongues

The Stretch

Moondance

Ishi

Race With The Devil

The Tempest

Bukatude

Sundike

Iron Cross

Voodoo Child

This ultra-classic tour of the Sunshine Face is perhaps the best face climb of it's grade at the rock, and long ago an ascent was a rite of passage that gained you entry into the fabled Stonemasters.

Scramble up to a ledge with a pine tree directly below Log Ledge, a sloping shelf with a dead log, and locate the start which lies just right of the pine tree.

P1)

Climb past three bolts (5.11a) to the right side of Log Ledge and a 2 bolt belay.

P2

) Traverse straight right, clip a bolt and make crux moves (5.11a) to another bolt. Higher the climbing eases considerably but wanders a bit (full-length runners are handy on the bolts to reduce rope drag) to gain a two bolt semi-hanging belay.

P3

) Straight up (5.10a) off the belay to reach a bolt, then slightly left to clip the first bolt of Sundance's 3rd pitch and then up and right past a final bolt to the top. Gear belay in cracks at the top.

Descend via

Bye Gully

or by rappelling back down the face (not recommended if the wall is crowded).

This route gives an introduction to the steep, exposed climbing of the Sunshine Face, at an easier grade than the routes to its left.  Climb the initial section of Buttress Chimney, then move up and left along a 5.7 ramp (often covered with pine needles) to belay bolts.  The crux pitch follows thin face climbing on great rock, up and left, then back right, finishing at Paisano Ledge.

I can only comment on the first two pitches, which I climbed on top rope. I'll add info on the rest when I climb finish climbing it.

Pitch 1. Follow three bolts up the rounded arete/roof to the right of

First Pitch

. The crux coming right by the bolt on VERY slick feet. Traverse left at the second bolt and then up past one more to No Go Ledge. Because of the slickness of the crux, I'd rate this pitch 5.11b. Bolted anchor

Pitch 2. Historical crux pitch, but not much, if any harder than the first pitch. Make hard 5.10 moves up to the first bolt, followed immediately by the crux to a second bolt. One more bolt on the increasingly easier face leads to the Hesitation belay. This pitch is definitely R rated unless you bring a stick clip to clip the first bolt, as you're looking at a ledge fall.

Pitch 3. Haven't climbed it, but it follows a bolted face up and right of the belay.

Very hard thin climbing at the last bolt with runout climbing preceeding it on the arete.

Start just right of

Sundance

on a flake.  Pass a bolt (11a), then move up and right to obtain the arete that forms the right hand edge of the Sundance lieback corner.  Climb past two bolts, moving right then up (12b) at the last bolt.

Good mixed climbing.  A very thin face crux combined with a unique feature on the second pitch, as well as a pitch of superb liebacking.

Pitch 1:  Do the first pitch of the

Iron Cross

(11a).

Pitch 2: Clip the first bolt of the Iron Cross and then move left to follow the razor thin flake up and left.  This flake is wild, a small rock dropped behind it will come out at the bottom of it, down by Red Rain.  Although easy, the super thin nature of the flake makes it quite exciting.  At the end of the flake climb past two bolts (11d) to the belay ledge.

Pitch 3:  Follow the right facing flake to the top (10b).  This is yet another of the truely classic pitches on the Sunshine Face.

From the second bolt of

New Generation

, climb up and right to the

Race with the Devil

2-bolt anchor.

Climb up a steep wave of rock just to the left of the first pitch of New Generation. Continue straight up through two sloping scoops to the third bolt of New Generation, then follow New Generation to the anchor.

The approach begins at the far left side of the Sunshine Face. Downclimb down and right (class 4) to the ledge with a 2-bolt anchor which is the top of Gates of Delirium's first pitch. From here, continue to the right across the ledge, past the start of The Drainpipe, to where the ledge peters out, then hand traverse on a flake for about 40 feet to the right (exposed 5.3) to a 2-bolt belay.

Climb straight up past 4 bolts (5.11- past the second and third bolts) to the bolted anchor of The Drainpipe.

To descend, make 2 short (less than 80 feet)   rappels or one long (35 meter) rappel to the ground.

Scramble up to a ledge with a pine tree directly below Log Ledge, a sloping shelf with a dead log, then walk left to a left-facing flake system which is the start of the route.

P1) Lieback up the widening crack (5.8) to reach a small ledge where another left-facing corner (5.9) leads to the left side of Log Ledge and a 2 bolt anchor.

P2) Make some thin moves off the belay (crux) and then wander up the incredible face above past five bolts. After the last bolt traverse right (5.9) to gain the arete of a left-facing flake system which is climbed 20' or so without pro (5.6) to a stance atop the flake with a 2 bolt belay.

P3) Climb face past two bolts into a thin crack with tricky gear placements or head left after the second bolt, via the popular

Sundike

variation, past two more bolts.

Descend off the back via Bye Gully or by rapping down the face (not recommended if it's busy).

Scrambling leads to a tree belay at the top of P1 of

Gates of Delirium

.

P1 Traverse right to ease to a bolt clip then very thin moves (exposed crux) to gain the bottom of the crack (nut/cam). The crack provides frantic trickiness of a different nature, past pitons to a ledge below the real Drain Pipe pitch.

P2 Laybacking and jamming with good pro, and in a wonderful position leads to a fitting finale: hand traverse right under Piasano Pinnacle, what a great pitch!

Start directly below the shallow dihedral feature, crank through a bouldery start on small holds to gain the dihedral 12c.  Instead of heading right on Bukatude after reaching the jug continue straight up the shallow corner 5.11 until you reach a bolt then follow a shallow arch to the left 5.12a/b.  There is 1 bolt on this route and difficult to place marginal protection in the dihedral.

Interesting climbing on good rock.  This route can also be an alternate start to

Quiet Desperation

, making Quiet Desperation a little more of an independent line from the Iron Cross.

Climb a thin corner past two bolts (11b), then angle up and right to join the first pitch of the Iron Cross just before it's crux (11a).

The first pitch is the meat of this route, and is quite popular.  The second pitch is not as good and is seldom done.

Pitch 1: Hard face climbing leads past 4 bolts (11c past the first 2) and ends on the Drain Pipe ledge at a tree.  On the first ascent of this pitch, Tony pulled so hard on holds that he was bleeding under his fingernails.

Pitch 2: Climb straight off the ledge to gain a left facing corner. Follow the corner (10c) past one bolt and gear placements.  From the top of the corner it is possible to move left to the Euphoria flakes, or continue up and right past another bolt to a belay.

Pitch 3: Follow cracks up to the base of Paisano Pinnacle.

Begin at the base of Sundance, then climb a short, left diagonalling crack. Step right and climb a slab (5.11-) past 2 bolts.

A huge sling on the tip of the "arrowhead" can be used to rig a toprope. The last climber can remove it and descend by downclimbing the chimney (5.0) behind the flake to the ledge at the base of Ishi.

Use the anchor at the top of Last of the Mohicans to set a TR.  Sustained difficult climbing from the beginning on thin edges and sloping scoops leads to more moderate climbing at the top of the pitch.  Balance moves on high-steps, insecure footholds and dime edge cranking.

Great moves around this wall right of Valhalla but they are mixed up hard "R" terrain. This link up of three routes provides the easiest and safest path of the four routes.

Start on New Generation pitch one. 5.9 moves (optional small nut) to reach bolt 1. Heady 10d crux over bolt one. Clip bolt 2 then go either straight left or down and left to bolt 3. Straight up from bolt three or easier but more run-out is to go left to use the arete a bit. Bolted anchor at top.

Pitch 2 starts on Race with the Devil to a cruxy traverse left, 11a. Upon clipping the third bolt move left on great holds to the second bolt of Valhalla. Finish via Valhalla. Crux travese is sequential and I made really cool mantle move on it.

Start a few feet down and right of

Sundance

. Follow thin cracks past two bolts (12a). These bolts are difficult to clip. At the top of the cracks clip another bolt and follow the right slanting crack to it's end. A few 11a moves past the last bolt lead to Log Ledge.

This will give you some chimney practice.  A short, secure squeeze chimney (crux) leads to a long, wide, enjoyable chimney section above.

From the Ishi/Quiet Desperation belay move right, then climb up (11a) past 4 bolts, traversing right (crux, 11c) at the fourth bolt to a rest stance. A 5.10a move from here gets you to the 5th bolt. Follow a shallow, left facing corner (5.9) with a fixed pin (you can back up the pin with a #3 BD microstopper) then step right and join Iron Cross for its last 2 bolts (5.8).

Belay from a pine tree.

This route follows a short, left-facing corner.  The climbing is largely awkward finger jamming on excellent rock.  Rappel from the ledge at the end of the climb.

This route starts from the right side of No Go Ledge. The crux is right off the ledge and is pretty well protected with a bolt. Quality face climbing above leads to a second bolt and either cut right to join

Hesitation

proper or continue up the unprotected face to join Hesitation up higher. Be aware that the most recent guidebook shows four bolts on the topo, but in reality, only the two bottom bolts exist.

Toprope the thin slab about 10 feet left of

Race with the Devil.

This is a fun route in a nice, exposed location - the right edge of the Sunshine Face.  An easy crack pitch leads up to a good belay.  The crux pitch follows a knobby face, with the crux face/lieback move right at a bolt.  Except for the crux move, the climbing is quite easy.

Sustained climbing on beautiful, impeccable gold rock.  Brilliant route - one of the best on the face, without a doubt.

Pitch 1: Start on

Sundance

's easy 5.7 crack.  About 30' up set up a belay, either on the top of the flake or at the base of the Sundance lieback.  If the belay remains on the ground it won't be possible to reach the anchors at the end of the pitch.  Climb up and left onto the steep bulge and pass two bolts (11c).  Continuous climbing leads past six more bolts and finishes with an exciting runout to a triple bolt anchor. A full length runner on the obvious rightmost bolt will help reduce rope drag and make the finishing runout more pleasant.

Pitch 2: Pass another set of double bolts and work up and right, joining Sundike for it's last two bolts.  Pay attention making the hard moves to the double bolts, a fall will go directly onto the belay anchor.

The 11c crux can be avoided by traversing left into the first pitch (3rd bolt) from the Log Ledge belay of Sundance.

Superb, both for the rock quality and the climbing. Continuous dimes with one hard cranking crux and multiple other tricky sections.

Ishi was the last Native American Indian known to be living in the wild around the turn of the century. The route was not renamed when it was done free since the existing name seemed so fitting; Ishi was the last aid route to be freed both on the Sunshine Face and at Suicide.

Pitch 1: Climb past 3 bolts to the crux 4th bolt that gains the small left facing corner.  Climb the corner (gear), then move up and right on ledges to start the upper bolt ladder. From the third bolt of the upper ladder move left and climb a small flake/offset. From the top of the flake move back right to rejoin the bolt ladder at it's 6th bolt. From there, finish with the last two bolts of Quiet Desperation.

Note that there are now double bolts at the end of the corner, prior to the upper ladder that were/are not used for the free climbing.

Pitch 2: Do the right facing lieback flake that is also the last pitch of Quiet Desperation. Outstanding classic pitch.

Good thin climbing with a serious runout on the first pitch.

Pitch 1: Do hard thin moves (11d) to make a difficult clip of the single bolt on the pitch. Pass the bolt and continue on the potential ground fall runout (10b) to No Go Ledge.

Pitch 2: From the left end of No Go Ledge climb past bolts (11b) to gain a prominent "fin".  At the fin there are two choices, both runout.  Either continue up the fin to the last bolt on the second pitch of Valhalla (5.7) or go up and right to the Hesitation belay (5.8).

Pitch 3: Depending on which belay was chosen, do either the 3rd pitch of Valhalla or the second pitch of Hesitation.

Start 10ft to the right of the first pitch of New Generation.  Climb up a layback until this feature ends, continue more or less straight up.  This route can be top roped using the anchor for the first pitch of Race With The Devil, It is an independent line between Speaking In Tongues and New Generation.

This climb ascends the right leaning crack that is just left of the first pitch of

Valhalla

. It was first done with a very difficult start straight up into the initial corner. After a crucial hold broke, a variation start was found that comes in from the left.

After passing the first bolt (11d), follow the crack up and right to it's end. A bolt at the cracks end protects the 11a moves to Log Ledge. Be careful of the loose flake above the last bolt.

This is a last pitch variation to Sundance which climbs past the first two bolts of that route and then breaks left via a thin white dike past two more bolts. A recommended alternate finish to Sundance.

Traverse right on a ledge to get onto a pinnacle. P1 The thin crack is taxing, but does take nuts and thin cams, the crux involves technical and slightly desperate moves. P2 Your mates' big lead. Up a shallow ramp to the meat of P2. Thin face leads to an apparent impasse, but a sly move left (the Iron Cross) bypasses this to lead to a shallow ramp with pins, more face leads to the top. A long a worrying pitch, but brilliant (when you've done it).

This is a much better direct start to Hesitation than is Hesitation Direct as it involves more good climbing.  Climb to the second bolt on Hesitation Direct.  At this point diagonal up and left (11b) to a bolt, then up easier climbing to a 4th and final bolt.  Easy runout climbing above the 4th bolt eventually joins Hesitation a short distance below it's belay.

This route was rated 10d for many years, and the climbing is still about the same.  Not sure when/why the rating changed.  Note that there are 4 bolts, the latest guide only shows 3.

Description

Protection

Routes in Sunshine Face - Right Side