Somewhat contrived - using the wide crack to the right (Aquarius) greatly reduces the difficulty. But commit to only the thin hands crack and the face above its end, and you are stepping into a real challenge.   Climb up the thin hands crack (difficult start, then enjoyable climbing) to its end. Very committing, intricate face moves reach the top. Make a poor choice of line here and the difficulty rises well beyond 5.8; and the last gear is well below your feet.

Sagittarius

Asterisk

Cosmic Ray

Solar Wind

Starline

Aquarius

This is the obvious crack one glimpses just before reaching Starbuck Right. It runs up 40' and dies out.   The crack has enjoyable climbing in the 5.6 to 5.7 range until the last ten feet, where the difficulty cranks up considerably. A committing move reaches a narrow ledge (purple C3 is a critical, tricky, & strenuous placement at this point), then a bolt-protected bit of face climbing reaches a few final holds before topping out.

Wonderful, albeit too-brief, face climbing leads to a brushy stance below a left-facing corner/flake system. Climb the corner, go through a small overhang to a left-rising flake. Follow it to a ledge, then climb through the bulging final face up and right to a short vertical crack breaking through to the top. Final gear is tricky and strenuous.

Nice moves, occasionally tricky gear (Tri-Cams work wonders in a few spots, particularly that all-important black .125 puppy), several cerebral moments.   Climb up following the crack line. When it dies out just shy of the top, look for key black Tri-Cam placements in pockets along the horizontal grooves.

Similar to its neighbor to the left (Cosmic Ray). Slightly more run-out, though microcams alleviate any real danger - if placed well.   Has a "Laurel" start: unprotected and difficult. Keep that 12' drop off the Ledge below in mind. It is much easier (and protectable) to start at Cosmic Ray and traverse over to this route.   Beware: there are a few "unclean" spots near midpoint; these cover questionable flakes and holds - not recommended you use them.

Excellent wide crack moves, somewhat hard for the grade; call it 6+.   Climb the wide crack, which has a difficult start, to a ledge 8' below the top of the cliff, then scramble the last few easy feet up.

Starbuck Right has a ledge 4m up running across much of its width. Several climbing routes begin on this ledge, though the FA of many of them forced a line through the moss-cloaked lower band. The ledge begins just left of a large block lying askew on it, and runs to an oak tree which stands on its right extremity (Starboard Tack runs up behind this tree).   NOTE that all the routes here begin (duh!) on a ledge 10 or more feet above the base of the cliff. A leader falling before placing gear would almost certainly continue falling off this ledge, pulling their belayer down with them. Anchor your belayer.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Ledge Area