"A Mile and a Bit of Fun"  III 5.8R Length 1.4 Miles.  AKA The Great White Wall Girdle Traverse.

This is the second girdle traverse in the SW desert, with the first being the "Bjornstad Traverse" around Castleton Tower.  Starts from Three Fingers Canyon and traverses 1.4 miles south to the next canyon.  The wall itself is about 1200' high.  The first ascent party of three took with a lunch break 5 hours 40 mins to complete the traverse.

Starts up the first two pitches of "Come-Up-Pance".  The first is 5.6 and the second 5.8.  The route consists of connecting ledge systems via short slab sections of moderate difficulty, a mountaineering adventure.  Only the very last pitch packs a bit of a punch.  At the top of pitch two go up the ledge to the left for 200', then descend 40' and gain the big long ledge system.  Continue on this ledge passing the rap anchors of Dreamy Clouds and Hot Tin Slab past big potholes, and after many hundreds of feet the ledge narrows to double bolt anchors.  From here, go straight up the slab for 60' to rejoin the ledge system and continue south on easy ground.  Follow the ramp down into a hole then up to join the slab above the obvious flake of Senile Dementia(pitch 3) and follow up to the massive ledge below some impressive unclimbed slabs.  Follow the ledge to the next change, a deep crack/groove that is below a large cave.  Traverse the smooth looking slab straight out left and down to regain the ledges.  Continue following the ledge with occasional slab traversing until it ends overlooking the canyon.  From here, drop into the large groove and a couple of steep moves to gain the easy slab angling left to the edge and large blocks with double anchors above for the belay of the final pitch 180' 5.5.  From the belay, go up the crack then steeper climbing on sandy rock to an arete which leads to the summit 150' 5.8R.  Register in cairn below the fine summit.

Descent: Just before and to the right of the higher dome summit, find a rap bolt and rap 40' to the big ledge/ramp and follow it south to its end and double rap anchors.  Rap 200' to to the ledge at the start of the last two pitches, and then to another set of double anchors above the slab overlooking the edge of the canyon.  Rap, then 4th class first left then back right to easy slab.

FA. Andy and Paul Ross, Layne Potter. March 21.2005.

A Mile and a Bit of Fun

Clouded Dreams

Dreamy Clouds

Come-Up-Pance.

Cry Not

Hot Tin Slab

Katzs Way

The climb is located on the Great White Wall left of Three Finger Canyon. Starts at the top of the talus wave 300' to the right of Dreamy Clouds. The second pitch finishes up the obvious big 60' open groove right of the black wall of Dreamy Clouds.

P1 Climb black rock to the right passed a bolt at 20'to a crack then the slab to large ledge and bush belay.80'5.8.

P2 Move the belay right for about 150' to the end of the ledge and double anchors.Straight up passed three bolts then easier climbing to the big groove .Up groove to double anchors.This pitch is at least 220' .The second was brought up to the third bolt so the leader could finish the pitch.220' 5.8R.

P3 From the big ledge climb a short flake on the roght to the slab and a bolt at 40'. Follow ramp left then back right the up to double anchors on left. 190' 5.6.

P4.Move up to the left for about 60' then straight up steeper wall to anchors 100' 5.7R.(Register in Cairn).

From here one can 4th class for several hundred feet left up to one of the summits of the Great White Wall.

Descent:- Go straight left (south) for 60' to the chain anchors at the top of pitch 5 Dreamy Clouds. Four raps to the ground.

"Come-Up-Pance".II 5.8  English dictionary: "a punishment due and well deserved". In Sept 2004 on the first attempt at this climb Ross took a forty footer  when a ledge collasped  resulting in a broken ankle.From the trailhead at the entrance to Three Finger Canyon cross and scramble up about 500' to a level area left of a long flat ramp below the left leaning groove of pitch 2.

P1 Cross a gap and head straight up the slab towards a big ledge below the groove ,a right slanting crack is just to the right of this groove.190' 5.6R

P2)Climb the groove passed two bolts. From the second bolt move left and pull out of the groove then more easily to double anchors.150' 5.8.

P3 To the left is a wide open groove system guarded by a fairly steep slab. Climb to a bolt at 50', the angle eases after 70'then nice pleasant climbing to the summit. 150' 5.7R.

Descend down "Cry Not". Scramble up the ridge south for about 100' to find double rap anchors of Cry Not.

San Rafael Swell .. Eastern Reef Slabs...The route takes a line just to the left of entrance to Three Finger Canyon. Park at the entrance to Three Finger. Cross the wash and scramble up the dark wave and continue a furter 200'up to the top of the final wave to its top next to some bushes. .cairn.

P1).Straight up the slab to double anchors .120'5.7R.

P2).Just left of the anchors and across the ledge is a right facing corner crack. Continue to large sloping ledge. Double anchors. 160'.5.7.

P3).Traverse easily left 60'passing a right facing corner/crack to a left facing crack. Up a short steep wall then follow groove and cracks to large ledge. Double rap anchors. 180'. 5.6R.

First Ascent . Paul Ross Layne Potter . 31 Aug 2004. PS. The following day another new route was attemted ,but a short 40' fall due to a ledge taking flight resulted in a broken ankle. ..They will be a 6 week interlude from further posts.. Amen to that...

To experience the extreme summer heat of the desert and to see how it feels  the climb was done in 105f in the shade.Outcome? It was very warm!.The climb is on the Great White Wall left of the Three Finger Canyon. From the Three Fingers Canyon cross the wash to the south and walk for about 15 mins until below a jumble of large spiked blocks. The route Dreamy Clouds climbs the dark slabs to the right of this route.

P1)The FA party did a 100' 5.7.(unprotected)through these blocks and grooves,but this pitch can be avoided by scrambling up left to the top of the red talus and traversing at 5.0 to the start of pitch 2.

P2). Climb right from the long ledge to the 25' PILLAR that is climbed on its right side via a good crack to bolt anchors at its top 80'5.8.

P3) Go up the slab to the right #1 Friend placement then left to a long narrow ledge. Follow the ledge to a line of flakes leading to a bolt then 15' to a foothold ledge and bolt belay. 160 5.8R.

P4).Gain the top of the ramp on the right to a bolt then up left to the long central ledge ,(part of the Mile and a Bit traverse of the Great White Wall)To Bolt anchors.150'5.8. From here scramble along the ledge to the south for about 600'(you will see why when you get there)to where a 4' high block lies up against the upper wall.

P5). Climb straight up from the block then angle right up a ramp and continue up the slab to a tree and bolt rap anchor.200' 5.6R.

P6)4th class from here for about 700' to a fine summit.

Descend the Route.

P1)From the top of the wave climb out right up a scoop to some obvious large blocks . Above these is a good ledge and double anchors. 110' 5.5

P2) A classic Swell slab pitch. Straight up from the anchors intricate climbing following  seven pro-bolts to a big long ledge .Double anchors. 130'5.10-

Move belay along the ledge to the right ,about 300'(The wall above the big ledge would be tough)  to natural belay below a bolt at about 15'up from the ledge. (junction with Hot Tin Slab) Follow Pitch 4,5,6.To a fine summit. Pitch six is about 700' of 4th class .

Rap the Route .  Down P1 and P2 can be done on one 200' rap.

Description

Protection

Routes in P Crags