Approach as for Tunnel Vision. From the base of TV, work right about 100' to an alcove with a pine tree.
P1: (140', 5.5) Climb up a ways toward the massive cleft above (Healy's Haunted House) but then swing left onto a well featured face. Climb up through an easy bulge and belay on ledges at the base of a prominant off-width that splits the yellow face above. This crack is easily seen from the ground as you approach.
P2: (140', 5.6) The crack soon turns into an offwidth in relatively low angled rock. The moves are pretty easy if you use wide crack technique (heel-toe time!) but this section is fairly sustained. Thin flakes in the side of the crack offer somewhat insecure pro. A #5 Camalot could probably walk up this whole section. Belay at a ledge where the crack thins down again.
P3: (110', 5.5) Climb up the crack and work left before it ends, moving to an obvious crack system coming down from the large roof above. Belay in ledges.
P4: (110', 5.5) Continue up to an area of bushes in the crack. About 20' of easy simulclimbing combines this with the previous pitch.
P5: (180', 5.7) Work up the widening crack to the roof using the slab on the left side. The roof looks improbable but by working in (for pro) and out (for good holds) you can surmount the roof without too much effort. Continue up the crack / chimney into a big alcove and belay.
P6: (150', 5.4) Climb up another 30' or so the avoid the wide crack above (a 5.8 finish) by traversing left on a ledge system to easier ground and the top.
P5 is classic Vegas climbing: an improbable line through a big overhang that looks far harder than it is. You'll need a few big cams (or hexes) to feel comfy on this pitch. We didn't have much big stuff (#2, #3, #3.5 camalot) but the pro seemed adaquate. Just use little stuff whenever possible. The easy part of the chimney below the belay was runout but not scary.
This route was a lot more fun than Tunnel Vision. Plus less waiting in line.
Protection
Standard Vegas rack with some extra big nuts. A #5 Camalot would probably make pitch 2 much more secure.
this climb is a great alternative if there are people on tunnel vision. the day i went to climb tunnel vision there was a party of three just starting the 1st pitch so we went and did group therapy. route finding was alittle tough at times(we had very little beta) but its a great day out. go check it out; real fun
i walked right to the base of TV figuring id just move right to the pine tree and find the start of GT, but it wasnt so obvious to me. after a little bouncing around between possible alcoves with pine trees, i guess it is the first alcove past TV with a Big pine tree. I guess i should have scoped the route from the ground as reccomended.
A little easy simulclimbing links the first two pitches, as you can with p3/p4. The roof is fun, unless you have a pack on. The bushy ledges to belay below the roof (top of p4)- we belayed at the upper, lefter, bushy ledge, and had to traverse right to the crack off the belay. Should we have been at the lower ledge by the wide crack that becomes the roof weakness?
The 5.8 straight up variation is kind of sketchy. It looked like flour-y rock, with loose bits and pieces to stem off of. I pulled over anyway, but it's just a bit sketchy IMHO, compared to the relative solidity of the rest of the climb.
By J. Thompson From: denver, co May 29, 2005 rating: 5.7
It should be noted that instead of escaping on the last pitch by climbing up and left, there is an awesome 5.8 crack that continues straight up. Some of the holds feel a little shaky, but it goes and puts a little more icing on the cake than simply escaping.
Jason
By Danny Inman From: Westminster Nov 27, 2006 rating: 5.7
Great route. Climbed this in four pitches with a 70-m with no problems at all. The 5.8 roof on the last pitch is a great finish. Descended the first gully (i.e., the northernmost gully) following cairns takes 30-40 min approx to get back to the base of the route, no raps, no down-climbing.
Angel Food Wall
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