Short but AWESOME route up the summit block above Rational Expectations & Magali's Arete.

The crux is just below the second bolt (and is VERY well protected).  The crux involves smearing your feet on the featureless face to the left of the arete.  Following the crux, make a big move on the steepest part of the arete (5.9) and continue up the  arete to the top.

A fantastic summit awaits you!!

Seven Steps to Heaven

Objectivist Tendencies

Rational Expectations

Blue In Green

Straight, No Chaser

Footprints

Spontaneous Order

Snickerdoodle

Tee it Up, Cupcake

Magali's Arete

Helicopter Effect

Climb up the 3rd class gully to the left of the base of "Permanent Income Hypothesis". At a tree in a gully, start to belay. Angle right up 4th class terrain until you are level with a large tree to the right. Proceed up the ridge (5.4) to a 2-bolt anchor.

This is a good approach to the anchors of "Capitalism and Freedom" or "Natural Rate of Unemployment" for those wishing to toprope those routes.

Fairly steep, exposed face climbing on nice, positive edges.  Two small overhangs mix it up a little.

A fairly varied route considering the modest height.  Excellent position from start to finish.

Start to the right of the "Footprints" anchor, up slabs with 3 bolts and pass a prominent pine tree to its right. A #2 Camalot can be useful below the tree, and you can also sling the tree for added protection. A steep move (5.6) leads to easier climbing. Stay left at the top to exit directly onto Lunch Ledge. This is a varied pitch with interesting moves. It is a much better (and easier) way to access Lunch Ledge than ascending Snickerdoodle and rapping to the ledge.

Direct start variation: start in a gully about 10 yards to the right of the base of Footprints. Small gear and a bolt protect some low-fifth class moves to the start of the original route. This variation avoids the need to climb Footprints first. With this variation, the route is about 190 feet long.

WARNING: You cannot descend with one rappel (with a 60 meter rope) from Lunch Ledge to the base of Blue in Green. It is best to descent by rapping the gully to the right of Snickerdoodle, and then walk down to the anchors at the top of Footprints for the final rappel off the crag.

This is a sustained route. The first half goes up a steep part of the wall with small holds. Two distinct cruxes are found passing the third and fourth bolts (5.10c). On the second half, the angle eases up a bit and 5.9 climbing up a right-slanting hand crack leads to two anchor bolts on the right side of the summit triangle. To descend, rappel off to the climber's right, into the central gully.

Approach pitch for routes in the Central Gully.

Mostly class-4 with sections of easy class-5.

An outstanding link up that combines pitches from 4 different routes to climb the western wall of the Central Gully.  All belays are positioned at spacious ledges with tremendous views.  The summit is spectacular.

While the climbing is not as continuous or quite as high quality as P.I.H., the length and diversity of climbing makes this one of the single best outings in the Fortress.

Pitch 1:

Footprints

(5.4)

Pitch 2:

Blue In Green

(5.6 PG13)

Pitch 3: Choose between

Magali's Arete

, the right-hand variation, and

Rational Expectations

, on the left (both 5.7)

Pitch 4:

Seven Steps to Heaven

(5.10a)

Sustained climbing up a long arete.

Easier if you stay left of bolts 4-7; a full grade harder if you stay right, on the actual arete.

Climbs the left-hand side of the summit block above Rational Expectations and Magali's Arete.  This route is an easier alternate to

Seven Steps

, which is located on the right-hand side of the block.

The summit is perhaps the coolest vantage point in the entire Fortress area.

Climbs the arete on the right side of the block that is also home to Rational Expectations.  This route is longer and significantly more difficult than Rational Expectations.

The original route up the summit block atop Rational Expectations & Magali's Arete.

From the top of the those routes, traverse right around the corner to the north.  Follow a finger and hand crack in a shallow dihedral.  Where the vertical crack meets a horizontal hand crack, follow the hand crack left past a few solid jams.  Turn the corner to the left and follow the arete (past one bolt) to the top.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Central Gully