Under MtProject guidelines you can't call the climbs on the Upper Slab Top Rope climbs (to be a TR you have to be able to set it up without technical climbing), but essentially this is what they are. I used the 5.4 rating for the access climb, but the climbs themselves are more interesting. (One could use the Via Ferrata route for even easier access.)  

  Once one leads up the right-facing corner on the left of the Upper Slab (5.3-5.4, perhaps stepping right onto the slab at the top for easiest climbing) the slab's 3 or 4 climbs can be TR'd with a single rope off double bolt anchors and/or the old Via Ferrata hardware, backed up.  

  Line 1 - About 10 ft right of the corner approx 5.5-5.6  

  Line 2 - Bit further right - about 5.6-5.7  

  Line 3 - further right yet, some small cracks about 5.7-5.8, some "straight up" variation(s) may be 5.9

Upper Slab Routes

Escape Hatch

Gargoyle

Moraviana

Off-Width Chimney

Faust

Ancient Via Ferrata

This "route" (which is not in the current guidebook) was recommended to me by a world-traveled climber as a "don't miss". While most technical climbers could easily solo it, an uncaught slip would certainly be fatal. It is most interestingly climbed with a short rope and about 5-6 long "alpine draws". (We used a 50M 8mm doubled over for 80ft, which seemed about right). Unlike maintained Via Ferratas, there are no cables to clip into along the way and the steel rods that do exist are suspect due to age.

 START- See "Location" for approach. To get to the start of the Via Ferrata continue only another 40-50 ft beyond where the path reaches the Upper Slabs, and then go straight up on talus to the base of a open-book corner of black rock with two iron (steel?) "L-beams" overhead [photo], only one of which is still connected on the right side.

 P1 - EITHER climb the black corner (5.0 - 5.2) and then exit right by going up between the L-beams [photo],...OR, scramble up the grassy buttress and balance ACROSS the L-Beams! (I have no idea how to rate this!) 30 ft.

 P2 - P3 - P4 - P5 [Short "pitches"] etc. Follow the "yellow brick road" (well, actually the brown, rusted iron road) on a long, rising diagonal to the right, placing protection for the follower(s) after any tricky moves. After the last, short 3-4 ft horizontal ladder (there's only one this small) look to continue right for a while, but then cut back left to more open rock (fewer bushes) to the summit.

 Descent - Follow the south hiking trail (towards Jordan Pond) off the summit for about 75-100 yds, and then you can cut back to hiker's left and get onto the talus and back to the base of the Ferrata and Upper Slabs. [As part of your approach to the climb, you might consider walking up to this point (it's only about 150-200 ft beyond Upper Slabs) before you do the climb so as to be able to recognize it.]

I thought this pretty "old school" 5.5, but used that rating since it came from the current guidebook (Grant Simmons, 2014) whose ratings are supposed to be "the grades that the climbing community has settled on." However, even the guidebook calls the climb "stout" !  

  P1 - Climb the Upper Slabs, usually accomplished on the lead via the large right facing corner at the left edge of the upper slabs, perhaps stepping out onto the face near the top, bolted anchor. 50 ft  5.3-5.4

  P2 - Move left and climb the front of the low angled buttress of Gargoyle. Step up into the corner just below the Gargoyle crack (protect, with a long sling) and then I stepped down* and right to the steep wall on the right.  Up this on good holds to the final move, have a small wire nut to protect. 70-80 ft  I thought about 5.6+; my shorter companion (* who stayed low) thought 5.7.  

  Rap off double bolt anchor

From the bolt anchor atop the Upper Slab, angle left across a grassy ledge to reach an obvious buttress. Either climb out onto the buttress immediately and follow it up (5.6) or follow the right-facing corner to a tree before traversing left onto the buttress (5.5). 

  Head for some chockstones in a broken down section, and climb over them. Pass a small bulge, backing up a questionable fixed pin. Keep right and head for the fist-sized crack above, using it to pull over the crux bulge near the top (5.8). Belay from a gear anchor on the comfortable ledge.

A very moderate two pitch climb, with the crux being towards the top of the last pitch.  

  Moraviana starts to the right up the upper slab, and quickly enters a left facing corner. There's some vegetation in the crack which makes getting protection tricky. Easy moves past the corner lead to old rusted bolts for a belay.  

  The second pitch begins with a long scramble up fourth class terrain before you reach a nice vertical section, with some fun moves.  

  It's an easy climb, and easy to protect. The location is great late in the day, with a beautiful sunset. 

  I loved this climb, it's off the path enough that you get away from the mobs at the precipice and otter cliffs.

Climbs the obvious chimney on the right side of the upper face.

Head up left from the upper slab anchor and follow  left crack system to the crux bulge. Get in gear before committing to awesome moves on crimps and a few good edges then to a tricky top out.

This is were all the magic happens.  At the top of lower slab/ bottom of Upper slab is a nice ledge to start your climbs (2 pitch trad).  A great place for budding trad climbers to get good work in. 

  When you finish the climbs here, follow a 4th class scramble up to top of cliff, then follow the hikers trail down and to the left side of the cliff.  At about the tree line, be sure to keep an eye out for the faint hiker trail on the left that gets you back to the Upper Slab.  If not, it means a bit more hiking around in those crampy shoes.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Upper Slab and Upper Wall