Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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33.77090°N / 116.6967°W |
Route Type:
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Trad Climbing, Sport Climbing, Toprope |
Season:
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Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter |
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Time Required:
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Less than two hours |
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Rock Difficulty:
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5.8 (YDS) |
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Difficulty:
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Runout Face Climbing |
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Number of Pitches:
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1 |
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Approach to Smooth Sole Wall-Right Side
Follow the climber's trail from Fern Valley Road parking area up to Suicide Rock. The trail will spit you out at the Weeping Wall. It is possible to take a shortcut trail to the left (south) not too far after the penny tree, this side trail will take you to the base of the Buttress of Cracks. Nevertheless, there are many of these shortcut trails all over the way up to the rock. Stay Oriented.
Once you arrive to the base of Buttress of Cracks, Weeping Wall or anything right of the Sunshine Face, continue along the base of the rock up to Sunshine Face, and continue up the loose descent gully. Stay to the Left of the gully and look for a small tree and ledge system. Drop down (still Class 1) and go under a giant flake to a alcove. Climb up and over (Class 3) to the base of the Smooth Sole Wall's Right side. You should see a very large tree hanging precariously above the face. Continue up and along the trail. At the next flat belay area you will be at the base of Mickey Mantle, a great 5.8 mantlefest classic!
Route Description
P1- Suck it up and balance your way thru the opening moves to gain the first bolt that is around 25-30ft up the wall. Just before the first bolt there is a huge knob. More mantles and face moves brings you to the second bolt. From here, traverse Right to more 5.8 face climbing on small knobs and start moving upward and left to the last bolt. Above the third bolt the climbing eases up and gains a ledge where a two bolt anchor with chains is. Rap the route (95ft), or climb easy (5.0) ledges up and over to gain the gully between Smooth Sole Walls and the Left side of the Sunshine Face.In close to 100ft, there are only 3 bolts, so be prepared for some runouts.
Essential Gear
-60M rope-3 quickdraws
-maybe some slings, if you wish to try to sling the occasional horn. Thin, dynemma slings would work
-Anchor Setup
One can Toprope this route by scrambling up the gully behind Smooth Sole Wall, climbing up and over the lip and down to gain the ledge. If one wants to rap into the ledge and avoid downclimbing 5th class, some bolts are at the top of the lip.