Two pitch route on the NW corner of the Chimney.  I wanted to put this route on the site so folks know where the route goes and to identify the mystery bolts some might see if the wonder over onto this side of the Chimney.   Pitch 1 Climbs a right facing corner, this pitch is clean and moderate leading to a stance/belay right on the NW corner of the formation.  I'm sure this pitch had been climbed before. 5.8   Pitch 2 Leads up and diagonally right off the belay following seams and flakes up to a short left facing corner. Turn the corner around to the right and into a steep tips crack/corner system.  Pull a mantle onto the steep slab above (crux).  A couple of bolts protect this section.  After the crux you can wonder up and left which eventually joins the North facing routes or work your way up and right climbing fairly licheny 5.10 rock to eventually gain the summit directly. This pitch is fairly long, about 150ft and 5.11.

Smoke on the Horizon

Arrow Heads and Pitons

Rocky Racoon

North Face Direct

This is a fun, burly old-school 5.7 that protects very well. Although it's a little vague, we tried to follow Hill's description and topo (1993:122-123) as much as possible. It goes, so we must have been nearly on route most of the way. I'm not clear how pitch 1 of this route might relate to Arrow Heads and Pitons.P1. Climb to a ledge and find a stellar lieback splitter that trends to the right. At the top of that crack, step left around an arete into a V-shaped alcove with a thin splitter on the left. Continue up the weakness to the left and belay on a large sloping ledge. No fixed gear was observed on this pitch.P2. This pitch is shared with some other climbs like the North Face Direct, and probably AH&P. Start up a deep chimney under a suspended block. Gain the block, and make a bunch of thuggish moves past more overhanging blocks. Pass by an old ring pin and a relic bolt to a large platform below the summit block. A big easy crack then leads to the top.Update 08/20/2021Descent: A bolted rappel anchor was placed at the north side of the top of the chimney on 08/13/21 to ensure that the rap was safe. A set of 60m twins or doubles should get you down to the start of the climb. A second anchor was set approximately 28m below it on 08/17/2021, roughly 25m from the ground. This will allow anybody with a 60m rope to rap from the top to bottom safely.

The Crux is at the top, awkward chimney out a small roof. Loose rock and lots of lichen. But seeing 5 or 6 SUPER classic pitons make climbing it and seeing them great. Plus the summit is fun, especially if there are people climbing on second coming.

I believe this is a route described in Hill's Guide that is called North Face Direct. It begins on the ledge right below the second pitch of Rocky Raccoon and Arrowheads and Pitons. Traverse around on the exposed ledge with moderate protection to a two-foot wide chimney crack with little to no protection. However, a large chock stone and the small width of the chimney make it rather secure to climb. Watch out for loose rocks inside the chimney and don't rely on the chocks to hold. Once through the chimney, a small scramble over loose boulders will get you to the lower ledge of the chimney (where the rap station is). To top-out on The Chimney, continue upwards from the rap station to the top.

Small lichen covered pinnacle that the canyon is named after. Great summit with loose rock.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in The Chimney