Brain Drain

Easy climbing goes up the chimney to a point where it is capped by a 20-foot roof. The first 18 feet of roof are straightforward, as you can simply continue chimneying until you reach a good ledge just before the lip. Turning the lip of the overhang is not easy, and may be harder if you are not tall. Just above the roof, it is possible to set up a belay at a hanging stance using large 2" to 4" cams. This is desirable in order to restock on gear that may be useful for the next overhang immediately above.

Pitch 2 continues up the crack and over the bulge. A short distance above the second overhang, the crack pretty much ends. Instead of the hoped-for hand jam, the next sixty feet feature a rounded, lichen-covered water runnel followed by a vegetated riparian ecosystem, all with no promise of protection. Strongly motivated to protect the fragile habitat, we rappelled from this point. A single rope will get you to the ground.

About a hundred feet to the right of the first pitch of the Magic Triangle route, the lower face is split by a deep chimney that leads to a left-facing corner. Start here.

Cams to 4" plus extra in the finger sizes