This climb can be done in 3-5 pitches, depending on the comfort level of the climbers. The ridge breaks itself up nicely into several shoulders which make ideal and stunning belay ledges. The start can easily be picked out from afar by noting two huge parallel grooves about halfway up the west ridge. 

  P1: 5.6-5.7. Climb up a corner system to the north of the two grooves. There is some vegetation here, as well as loose blocks. Stretching a 60m rope to its maximum allows you to reach a nice belay stance on the ridge next to a conifer tree. Otherwise, look for a convenient belay below said tree. 175' 

  P2: 5.7. An amazing pitch, that meanders slightly, and has some great exposure. Starting from the nice belay ledge with the tree, step out left to the north side of the ridge. Then climb straight up 15 ft into a crack that is almost directly on the knife-edge. Place some gear and then step over onto the south side of the ridge, onto good foot-holds. You are now directly above the conifer tree maybe 25 ft. Traverse to the right about 10ft, looking for a piton in a small horizontal lip. Then climb straight up from the piton and onto the next shoulder, where a spacious belay can be set-up. 80' 

  P3: Tackle the obvious weakness up the next headwall (5.6). A short ways further is another large shoulder and spacious belay. 75' 

  P4: Another weakness with an awkward block and wide pod must be overcome (5.7). Continue up the corner until it broadens. The slab above can be climbed directly to the summit (5.8), but does not protect very well. The regular finish traverses about 20 ft to the right onto the south side of the ridge. Then it follows a shallow crack system up to the summit. 90' 

  P0: 5.8 but a bit scary. The original start which is often skipped by climbing up a chimney in the gully between The Wedge and Lost Peak. It tackles a short slab straight up from the large bushy ledge. The slab is turned easiest on the left side, about 15 ft above the last pro and with a bad fall potential. Once this hurdle is passed, easy climbing gains the normal start.

The West Ridge

Normal Route

Shillelagh

Ingraham rates this as 3rd, but holy cow, either the mountain has changed a lot since his day (doubtful), I'm a wimp (possible), or ratings in his day were very different than now (likely).  

  From the end of the approach (just east of the Organ Ridge, see below), ascend a broad gully. (See photos for and an ID on the gully. Do not start too far down/east.) You may want to rope up for Ingraham's "jam crack" (see photo), but after it climbing again moderates. 

  Just before the saddle between The Wedge and its false summit to the east, you have two choices: (1) take a broad, left-leading ledge, around an exposed corner then trend back right to the ridge and follow the ridge to the summit. You will find a short low 4th class pitch (low 5th?) and a short exposed knife edge to cross then easy terrain to the summit. I have not climbed up from the saddle, so someone help me there. 

  (2) The 0riginal (Ingraham's) version (written by Marta Reece): Continue up the gully until you find a short 4th (low 5th?) class pitch to the summit. Start the pitch from the left side of the boulder pile in the saddle. Traverse right on top of the boulders to an intermittent but prominent, right-slanting corner. The first, smoothest part of this corner is the crux. The tops of the boulders provide some protection for a roped-up leader. Before the second part of the corner (the one left of an off-width and a boulder) you may protect with #0.4 cam or use the piton. Belay a short distance above that. Go left soon after and continue along a head wall. The point at which you turn left is not particularly critical. Near the top, crawl under the large, left-leaning boulder and then up.

The South Face of the Wedge is truly impressive: smooth granite walls baked by the sun, improbable looking roofs. This route was bold in its day and even with modern climbing gear is a climbing accomplishment. Originally called the South Face, Diagonal route, it is more commonly referred to by its nickname Shillelagh as is evidenced from the summit register. 

  P1, 5.9, 120 ft: Start up a right-facing chimney with a couple of large chock-stones to surmount. A crux section of 5.9 hand jamming gets you to a small tree with a backup nut in place for a belay. However, continuing up another 20 ft to a bit of an overhang provides a better protection from loose rocks. A 5.7 variation climbs a bushy ledge system about 100ft uphill from the original start and joins up at the Green Band. 

  P2, 5.8, 180ft: Continue up the chimney system and then the wooded corner/ledge which it turns into - the Green Band Ingraham describes. Climbing will ease of substantially once out of the chimney and traversing the Green Band. 

  P3, 5.6, 80ft: Go up a groove and then left on top edge of a flake so thin its existence alone demonstrates how rarely this route is climbed. Continue up the slabs to a ledge beneath the summit overhangs.  

  P4, 5.9+, 100ft: Climb through the beautiful summit overhangs, marveling at how the first ascentionists managed to get through these challenges. Two crux sections gain a large corner system where the climbing eases to 5.6 up to the top of the West Ridge. 

  P5, 5.8, 110ft: Finish up the final pitch of The West Ridge.

The Wedge has been called "The Jewel of the Organs" by the areas most prolific early climber, Dick Ingraham. It certainly is one of the most eye-catching peaks when viewed from La Cueva or most other views from the west. A huge and clean looking 1000 ft face, a knife-edge west ridge, and pink-rosy monzonite will help you identify this peak. 

  Royal Robbins was responsible for some of the first ascents on this peak, and his climbs are still a benchmark for some of the hardest routes in the Organs. There are two classic routes which seem to get the most ascents, The West Ridge and Shillelagh (referred to as the Diagonal Route in Ingraham's guide). Other routes are poorly known and seldom climbed although I would guess that there are some amazing climbs among them. 

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in The Wedge