Great Pumpkin, 5.8R, 4 Pitches

Overview/Approach

If you are looking for a shorter day than Lucky Streaks and/or the Regular route on Fairview than the Great Pumpkin is an option (although I prefer Roseanne, 5.9R). It is located near the western end of the formation and tops out on the west shoulder vs closer to the summit like the before mentioned climbs. It is more run out than those two classics, but even though the local guide indicated several 5.8R sections on its topo, I found it hard to identify much 5.8 on any of the route.  Definity seems to lean more 5.7+ as a grade for the route but it is indeed run out in spots.  The 2^nd pitch offers by far the best lead.  It takes on flakes and a short corner, placing trad gear at will for the most part.  The first pitch is long and run out surrounding a lone bolt but the face climbing is not challenging for the grade.  The final two pitches utilize a sea of knobs and offer decent exposure. 

Park at the pullout on the south side of the road as you would for Lucky Streaks or the Regular Route, 3.4 miles west of the Tuolumne Store.  This is an official trail head.  When the trail forks, take the rightward fork for Lucky Streaks.  Lucky Streaks starts within a broad left facing corner system.  On the other side of this corner system, the right facing corner, is Roseanne (not in the local guide as of 2020).  The Great Pumpkin starts about 20m to the right of this corner, up a broad rib in the rock, placing a few opportunistic pieces before running it out to a lone bolt on the pitch, then trending right to a fixed belay/rap below the obvious flakes and corner that lead to the ledge atop pitch two with a lone tree (2020).

Route Description

1st Pitch- 165’- 5.8R/ The first pitch wanders up a rib to the west of the right facing corner that forms the opposing side to the left facing corner that forms Lucky Streaks. Meander up that rib placing pro in intermittent cracks for the first half.  Not much climbing at the grade, if any, but the run out is real, centered by a bolt during the second half of the pitch.   Eventually traverse right to below an obvious leaning corner system.  If you keep low on the traverse, you can use a fixed anchor located atop a separate route.

2^nd Pitch- 170’- 5.8/ The 2^nd pitch offers by far the best climbing of the route.  Climb up and right via cracks and flakes mantling one of them that leads to a left facing corner which leads to a (slung-2020) tree.  Traverse right below the ledge with the tree and make an easy mantle onto a narrow ledge that takes medium gear in the floor for a belay.

3^rd Pitch- 140’- 5.8R/ Make an exposed move up and right off the narrow ledge through a bolt, cut back left up a ramp and back right up runout, but below grade terrain. Clip a bolted anchor and continue up through two bolts that lead to another fixed anchor (slightly hanging). 

4^th Pitch- 100’- 5.8R/ A runout pitch, but below the grade.  Climb up and right eventually placing small to medium gear in a horizonal. Continue up easy ground to the sloping shoulder at the west end of Fairview.  Good gear belay. 

Climbing Sequence

Descent

Traverse southwest to low angled slab, descend 4th class slab straight down and cut back east to the base of the route and the trail to the parking area.

Essential Gear

This route is mostly run out and the last two pitches are mostly bolted.  A single rack to #2 would be adequate for most competent leaders.  Pitch two is what dictates a rack at all really.  Save two of your #.75 to #2 pieces for the gear belay atop the 2nd pitch.