Corrugation Corner (5.7, 3 pitches)
East Crack (5.9, 3 pitches)
Haystack/Prep H (5.8, 3 pitches)
Surrealistic Pillar (5.8, 2 pitches)

Since we had our choice of routes, we decided on one that I had been lusting after for a few months: Corrugation Corner, a 3-pitch 5.7 ultra-classic that ascends a dihedral, traverses out onto a "horribly exposed arete", followed by a mandatory chimney, an airy, balancy traverse, and fun dike-hiking. The approach was strenuous, especially for poor John, having gotten the job of carrying all the gear. We started racking up, and a couple passed us. The guy had done the climb before many times, so we let them pass, even though they weren't switching leads. We left the near-empty pack at the base and started up the climb. The fabled exposed arete wasn't all that exposed, nor horrible. I suppose it'd be exhilarating for newer climbers, but I've been on worse. The chimney was interesting, and the dike-hiking was runout (but not as bad as Surrealistic Pillar. More on that later).

We took some pics, descended via the East wall, and checked out the East Wall to see what was open. Of course, Haystack was packed (there was a village of people waiting for it), so we headed up East Crack, a 3-pitch 5.8 climb with some interesting bulges for the crux. We swung leads once again; John got the 5.8 crux pitch, and I tried the 5.9 direct finish variation at the top. It was a lieback roof boulder problem with a beached-whale mantle. The vertical crack on the roof was superbly offwidth, so we took turns getting spanked while trying to send it as a pure offwidth.

Descending the same was as on Corrugation, we headed back to camp. John picked up some stuff at the base of East Crack and I got the job of picking up the pack at the base of Corrugation. We met back at camp and I was pretty beat then. We bouldered some cracks afterward and waited for Aaron to show up. Aaron didn't want to take the whole weekend, so he drove in that night and was going to leave Sunday night. John, attempting to use the deviously tricky Whisperlite stove for the first time, almost burned down the forest, but we survived, minus the stove. We ate a cold dinner.

The next morning was amazingly similar to the previous: we were again the first ones on the wall. This time, we headed to the ever-popular Haystack, a 3-pitch 5.8 classic signatured by a 4-foot devious roof. With Aaron, we stuck him in the middle and swung leads between me and John. John started on the Pitch 1 variation, Preparation H, which was really fun and tricky. I got the roof pitch, which was pretty awesome despite not getting the beta right. I unfortunately got a bomber hand jam but missed the jug until over the roof.

John decided to take off, so Aaron and I topped off the day with Surrealistic Pillar on the Lower Buttress. Surreal is a 3-pitch 5.7 classic with a signature traverse across an arete and serious runout on easy terrain. We did the climb in 2 pitches, linking the 2nd and 3rd. A bit of route finding was necessary, with a fair amount of downclimbing and traversing only to find a blank wall and exposed climbing with no protection. Just 10 feet up from the 1st belay station, I ended up forgoing the traverse for a 5.8 lieback variation that I protected with a huge 4.5 Camalot. A bit strenuous, but forgivingly short crux. That was my first lieback on lead; I hope I can find the balance between pumping out and slipping off with more experience. I placed my 2nd piece, then traversed over the arete to exposed, dikes with no protection. 50 feet later, I found a horizontal crack where I placed my 3rd piece. The second belay station was flakey and hollow, so I skipped it and went to the top. All in all, I placed 5 pieces in a 200' pitch. Aaron decided he hated traverses and he hated me after he got up.

Another wonderful trip with a decent density of climbs, great company, and good times. I plan on coming back for the Line and Hospital Corner, when I'm ready.

-ekl 7/5/05