Gonzo’s Lament, 5.9, 4 Pitches

Overview/Approach

Gonzo's Lament is a great option to combine with Turkey Foot Crack (5.10b).  It is located just to the west of Turkey in a large corner alcove.  Climb the wide chimney down low which exits at a vegetated left facing corner.  Climb this corner with the crux of this pitch being an awkward mantel atop of it.  It is easy to combine the first two pitches with a 60m rope.  The 2nd pitch continues up another left facing corner, but with a much wider crack.  Layback about 2/3rds of the way up for the crux.  Belay atop this corner in a comfortable shaded notch.  Traverse out left for pitch 3, by far the most sustained pitch of the route.  Locate the hidden left leaning steep finger crack and climb it until it widens to hands and lands you at a ledge to the right.  Traverse back left and up for the final pitch, a sustained flaring squeeze chimney.  Use off-width technique to climb this pitch which will be a bit runout unless you brought large gear.  Traverse west onto a ledge and fixed rap.

Park at the Sunshine Wall trailhead complete with restroom.   Hike up the trail to a signed junction.  Turn right and follow the climbers trail to the base of the west end of the south facing wall. Locate the chimney/wide crack start just west of a massive left facing corner.  30 minutes to an hour based on your fitness level.

Route Description

1^st/2^nd Pitches- 190’-5.9/ Decent double rope technique makes combining these first pitches worthwhile.  Start up the obvious chimney below grade.  Move over to climb a grass filled left facing corner.  The crux of the pitch is the “beached whale” move to mantle out of the corner on top.  To continue on the 2^nd pitch, move right yet again to another left facing corner.  Run out the wide lower section and layback the crux in the middle and belay on top in a shaded notch on medium gear.

3^rd Pitch- 130’-5.9/ A excellent sustained pitch at the grade.  Traverse climber’s left from the belay with positive feet to a left leaning steep crack.  The crux is the first half of this crack involving a few off-balance moves.  Continue straight up as it eases towards the end. Belay on a comfortable ledge with small gear. 

4^th Pitch- 90’-5.9/ Another excellent sustained pitch at the grade.  Enter the squeeze/off-width flaring chimney up and left and climb to its top, traversing left onto a sub summit ledge and rap anchor.  I flipped direction a time or to, but this is your typical squeeze pitch, utilizing knees, chicken wings, heel toe and it is a bit run out.

Climbing Sequence

Descent

Double 60’s make two clean raps from the top of the "Standard" route.  However it is set up for a single rope as well. 

Essential Gear

Instead of doubles to #4 as the guidebook calls for, I recommend a single to #5 with doubles to #.5.  Exposed to full day sun.