This route follows the crisp outside arete on Digital Tower between the east and south faces.  The start is the same as the bolted start to

C++

, but instead of stepping left onto the south face, go up the arete.  The crux is right off the ledge where the routes split and involves technical heel hooking, chickenhead pinching and crimping.  I thought the position on this route was one of the best at the Head and the climbing very challenging.  A hold broke after the initial ascent, but I don't think that it changed the overall rating of the route, comments are welcome though.  Do this one and give the people at the firetower a show!

Beyond The Firetower

Beta Sponge

T-zilla, Rap Drilla

The Middle Route

Digital Stimulation

Fortran Corner

Jesus H. Cranker

Located 100 yards southwest of the firetower on the formation known as Digital Tower, this route either starts on the arete or in a crack to the left.  This route is on the planar, south-facing wall of Digital Tower.  If you start on the arete, step left at 50' unless you want to do the 12d arete.  The route has two cruxes and a rather distracting view. Enjoy.

This is a fun and tricky line on Digital Tower. Unlike some routes up at the Head, this isn't that hard to find - just go to the firetower and look over at the closest obvious red tower - Digital Tower.

The first pitch is 10a, really just an access pitch that takes you to a belay ledge at about 80 feet. This pitch is not bad climbing - clean and enjoyable. The access pitch is smack in the middle of the Digital Tower as you face it from the Devil's Head firetower.  It is currently the only route there, so you can't miss it.

From the belay ledge, you can access four routes.  To the left of the belay ledge is Beta Sponge.  The second pitch of Beta Sponge is about 60 feet, and is slightly overhanging.  The climbing is hard right off the ledge, and reaches a crux about 30 feet up.  It involves tricky footwork and some concentrated sidepulling and underclinging.

It is also possible (and even more fun, I think) to string this all together into a single 140 foot pitch.

This route is tricky, with two distinct cruxes that keep you fighting to the anchors.  To get there, do the first pitch of Beta Sponge (10a) to the belay ledge.  Then traverse right about 20 feet across the ledge to the base  of T-zilla, Rap Drilla.  This is the farthest right line on digital tower. Move your belay over here.

The first crux is maybe 12b, involving a series of slightly overhanging moves, culminating in a big reach out of a slopey granite hueco.  The second crux is a 10 foot section of 12c micro edging and pebble tweaking.

The only drawback to the line is a section of 8-10 feet of chossy stone near the start - just grit your teeth and put up with this, as the climbing above is outstanding.

First of all, this route probably deserves more than one star.  However, due to the fact that the route starts in a band of choss, and the crux is in that same band of choss, I couldn't justify it.  You will know you are doing the crux correctly if the holds don't break.  Any other attempted sequence seems to result in broken holds.

I have seen a couple of climbers start this line and become frustrated with the rock and then quit and do a different line.

If you can get through this 8 foot band of choss, the climbing then turns into excellent 11+ moves up an overhanging wall on solid stone - very fun.  It is definitely worth doing (after you have done all the other routes on Digital Tower first).

From the belay ledge (accessed by doing the first pitch of Beta Sponge - see that route description), the next route to right of the belay is Jesus H. Cranker.  The next route right of that is The Middle Route.

This is the offwidth right of

Beta Sponge

and left of

Jesus H. Cranker

.

Climb the first pitch of

Beta Sponge

/

Fortran Corne

r (10a/9+ sport) to the two bolt anchor at the start of

Jesus H. Cranker

. Then tackle the offwidth splitting the buttress. Two fun roofs lead to a surprise squeeze chimney. Use gear to belay a second, and rappel off

Beta Sponge

anchors.

Despite the wide crack, there are plenty of features with good stemming to keep the offwidth technique at a minimum.

This technically is a separate pitch to

Beta Sponge

, since it is used to access the harder bolted routes on a large ledge on Digital Tower's east face.

Bushwhack through sharp bushes, and climb your way to a ledge 12 feet off the ground. Belay here. Continue another 6 feet to the first bolt, and climb the dihedral to a nice belay ledge.

A double bolt anchor at the start of

Jesus H. Cranker

is used for the anchor of this climb.

This is a great powerful line up the steepest part of Digital Tower.  The route overhangs about 10 degrees, and is very continuous.  You will be the star of the day for the tourists at the firetower.

To get there, do the first pitch of

Beta Sponge

(10a) to a belay ledge at 80 feet. Jesus H. Cranker is the first route to the right of the belay ledge.

The climbing is hard immediately after leaving the ledge - and it doesn't get easy again until just before you reach the anchors, about 60 feet further up. The crux is thin and slightly overhanging - and there is definitely a pump crux.  Just after the crux (about 35 feet up), there is one suspiciously thin flake that you probably don't want to pull out on too much.

Description

Protection

Routes in Digital Tower