Crystal Line

Approach

Hike up the same way you would hike to get to the Southeast Arete (See the main Baboquivari Peak page). Starting from the beginning of Lion's Ledge at its southwest corner, walk right (east) about halfway to the overhanging section just before the southeast arete. Follow the base of the wall until you encounter a left-facing dihedral six feet wide at its base. It arches to the left at 50'. If you look hard you'll see a bolt to the right of a black water stain.

Route Description

Pitches:

1) Climb the corner of the dihedral for 30' and step out right onto a nose. Climb the crack to a waterstain, then right of the stain past a bolt and back onto the stain to a cactus ledge. (I sat on that cactus, dammit). Belay from the end of the ledge (bush).

2) Climb up an easy face slightly right to a left-facing corner. Climb the corner. Delicate step left past bolt. Left three steps and up left onto a slab. Delicate (i.e. loose) slab traverse left. Go all the way up and left past the last bolt, then straight up over a corner with a good hold (take a deep breath and relax). Up and right on rough rock, then straight up. You probably are experience quite a bit of rope drag at this point. Up a short slab to bottom of a face with black quartz plates above. Good belay (150');

3) Up and right on steep quartz plates past bolts. Up a thin crack that becomes right facing corner. Belay on the slab (60').

4) Move right to quartz plates and up to a bolt, then left (easier climbing). Continue up past an exit bolt to a nice belay under an overhang with a deep lip and white rock. Do not climb the crack higher (100').

5) Traverse left 20'. Move the belay over. Up a quartz vein for 30' passing two bolts until going gets hard at a water stain. Traverse right past a bolt and up to a black crack (80').

6) Left and up over easier ground, then right to a bush(80'). Struggle through the bush (holly?) and climb 30' to a gully (5.3). 4th and easy 5th class to the summit. Don't get too tangled in all the bushes.

Essential Gear

A half-dozen draws, some longer slings, small to medium-sized nuts and cams, and some balls for the loose/licheny/runout sections.

Miscellaneous Info

If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.