This was the original approach to the headwall of Stealing Second. A bolt was added so a direct finish could be climbed but was never completed.   Climbs up a broken crack/weakness system.  Rock quality is not as good as the routes to the left. Either finish on SS or bail off the lone bolt.

Catcher's Mitt

Black Socks

Who's on First

First Base

Second Base

Space Balls

Wild Pitch

Stealing Second

Spring Training

Pinch Hitter

Blood Root

Huffin Cedar

Knuckle Balls

Much better and steeper than it appears from the ground. Easy yet runout slab leads up to the steep mid-section where protection is not obvious but good. Move up on good finger buckets and a nice tcu crack then aim up and left (crux) and crank up on to a ledge.  Traverse left to begin climbing an excellent right facing corner system that take you to the top.  Rap from a beautiful large cedar.

Often wet, but when dry this is an excellent route. Although the cracks may be a bit dirty. Like many of the other, this was a cherry first ascent climbed all free first time up.  The belay bolts at the top were added later. From a ledge about 40 feet up trend up and left following natural gear features eventually taking you near the wet,broken chimney/crack then back right (crux) to a great belay ledge with bolts.

Possibly the Bald's longest route and offers a lot of variety and exciting moves.

P1: 130 ft 5.10-, slab past 3 bolts and gear to a high step move and a 2 bolt anchor

P2: 150 ft 5.9+, pull the roof at the bolt, climb up and trend left over some mossy stuff to an obvious right facing corner. Gear belay at the nice ledge over the corner system

P3: 80 ft 5.11a, take the exposed head wall past 5 bolts to a 2 bolt anchor, double rope rap to the P1 anchors

Climb up through two small bulges following cracks and seams to a large flake 100 ft up.  Fire up the headwall crack (crux) to a large tree on top. 120ft.

Also climbed the same style and day as First Base (All free ground up FA). Start on First Base and trend slightly right after the initial bulge.  Follow seams and cracks aiming for a crack in the black streak about 100 feet up (crux).  If you are feeling good or if the black streak is wet, you can finish on the excellent crux of Stealing Second (5.11c).

"May the schwarts be with you"...well, not really.

Nice slabby face climbing down low with a steep overhanging juggy finish. A little contrived at the top due to unforseen rotten rock out right of the bolts. Climb the face generally up and right passing 1 bolt and some gear to a stance beneath the overhanging prow. Clip a bolt and move up and right and then left to another bolt. Crank straight up and then move up and right to a 2 bolt anchor. 90 Ft. 5.11b

Pitch 1: 5.10b/c Climb the face 5.8 well right of the corner aiming for the point where the corner turns vertical just before a roof above. Clip two bolts to get to the roof. At the roof rail out left in the horizontal with some groveling at the end to a doubled bolted belay (100 ft).

Pitch 2: 5.11a/b Get some good gear then step left just a bit them pull over the buldge to gain good gear and a few nice crack systems that lead to the top of this buttress (110 ft).

Rap the route with a single 70m rope or two shorter ropes.

High quality cranking. Originally climbed by starting on Catchers Mitt and traversing left to the crux, a nice direct was added later. Pull the low roof, climb past a bolt, around a tree, clip a few more bolts and crank some technical and hard face moves, then fire the steep crux on beautiful rock.

Phenomenal position on the 2nd pitch makes this a must do for anyone wanting to practice their nutcraft skills.

Pitch 1: 5.8- Climb up funky rock around a Juniper and over a small roof then shallow cracks to a bolt and on up belay at a ledge by a juniper tree.

Pitch 2: 5.10a Climb up to a horizontal and rail left to a short chimney. Shimmy up and step up and left to a bolt. Follow amazing seams and edges that trend up and left keeping just off the edge of the void.  Eventually the climbing backs off just before the (130ft) double bolt belay.

Rap down Wild Pitch with one 70m rope or two shorter ropes.

With more traffic this pitch will clean up nicely.  Scramble up to a brushy ledge and step left then slab up to the left side of a low roof. From this point don't pass up any gear you may find. Pull the roof and climb the steeper face/seam following the obvious weakness to a ledge. Step right and work up a slight bulging face  to an evergreen.  Avoid the poision ivy jungle above by rapping from here. 100ft

Out-of-the-box problem solving will help with the multiple cruxes of this fantastically technical face climb.  There is a short runout over easier terrain after the last bolt.

First pitch (5.7) is a great bolt and gear face that climbs a short left facing corner at mid height and ends at a sweet belay ledge with two bolts. The 2nd pitch takes the left angling crack to bolt protected face that curls back right on jugs to a ledge with left arching corner above (00 tcu placement low on ledge).  Move up the corner a bit then right past a bolt (crux) to the double bolt belay.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Left Field