This is a varied, pumpy tour of the north face of the Monster Block that, unlike its highball cousins, never gets more than a foot or two off the ground. Most commonly done right to left (uphill), this traverse has two back-to-back cruxes at the end that will tax your finger and core strength.

Start on the good incut crimps of Despuntia Dudes, the right (northwest) arete of the boulder. Move left on good jugs and slopers until you hit a crimpy, high-steppy crux about 2/3 of the way across. Pimp into a shallow hueco/slot, shake out, and continue left via hard pulls crossing an overhanging dihedral.

Finish out by either stepping left around the northeast arete onto the slab, or by topping out the Northeast Arete itself. This traverse is always shady, so it's a better bet on hot days than the west-facing Sergeant Woody Traverse.

A much harder advent, Train in Vain (V10), crosses the west face of the block on crozzly, pebbly crimpers, then scoots around the arete to join the Monster Traverse.

Monster Traverse

Northeast Arete

Days of Whining Posers

Schplick!

Krum

Despuntia Dudes

This is the easiest line up the north face of the Monster Block but it probably has the scariest top-out. It climbs more or less dead center up the wall, and can be recognized by a deep mono pocket at 2/3 height.

Start on the good jug rails and work up into the faintest little corner, level with the mono. Make a committing crank to good slots below the lip, then mantle over in the most controlled fashion possible (I prefer a modified "beached whale").

This is the arete to the your left (climber's left) as you face the north side of the Monster Block, right at the junction of the overhanging north face and the nebulous, slabby east side of the boulder.

Sit start low with your left hand on the arete. Slap moves, and good Dakota grips on both sides of the arete lead to a fairly mellow Carter Lake mantle. Downclimb off the back.

This is the line just left on center on the Monster Block's north face, and climbs up into a horizontal seam, which is followed slightly right to a lip encounter. It starts more or less downhill from the remnants of the old rock terrace below the leftmost problem (perhaps still undone, an old Steve Mammen project with a good hueco down low and not much else -- save an enhanced crimp or two, not the work of Mammen).

Start off the sloping dirt and muckle onto a good crimp rail. Make a big move up and left to a poor crimper, then work back right along the seam until you're in position to grab the lip (sloping but textured). Rock and roll over ...

This is a fairly brilliant face climb for those who like crimping.

This is one problem left of Despuntia Dudes, the line up the northwest arete of the boulder. Hence it is the lowest (furthest west) problem up the north face proper.

Krum can be recognized by the vibrant green and black lichens that cover the face, and a fingertip seam. Start on good buckets and move up into good layaways in the seam. Crank a long move off a poor, higher layaway, and mantle carefully over the lip on hidden edges.

This problem climbs the scenic northwest arete of the boulder, right at the junction of the foreboding north face and the sunny west face.

Begin on good Dakota crimpers and move up and right into a sharp gaston in the seam. Work the seam to the block at the lip (this block seems pretty well cemented in). Route-find carefully above here, as a fall could be nasty. All the relevant hand-holds have been brushed off, but you may want to scramble around and have a gander at the top before you cast off.

Description

Protection

Routes in Monster Block