Crimson Chrysalis (5.8+)

Location of Climb: Juniper Canyon
Aspect of Face: North
Time Category: All Day

Intro

An excellent and strenuous climb, with a rewarding view at the summit. But, the 5.8+ rating does little to indicate the real level of difficulty of this climb. The approach is long and tiring, then the climb is steep and sustained. The descent is tricky, involving multiple rappels past rope-snagging rock horns, and after all that comes the long hike back out. Be solid at the grade before attempting this climb.

Climb

The approach can be done over various trails, and the ramp leading up to the Cloud Tower is a prominent landmark, so I'm not including detailed approach notes. Just work your way toward the base of the ramp, then follow the climbers trail up the ramp to its top. Just below and to the west of the top of the ramp is a long, steep, hands-to-offwidth crack, which heads straight up the tower.

This will lead you to a bolted belay stance. With the exception of the fourth and fifth belays, all the belays on this route are more-or-less hanging belays. They're uncomfortable, and you'll want to minimize the time you spend hanging out at them. Combining pitches is a good way to do this, but the actual pitch lengths are longer than those given in the guide. If you're planning on combining pitches, be prepared to simul-climb if necessary. The third and fourth pitches represent the real crux of the climb, with the third being the hardest pitch. It is steep climbing on small holds, with no really good rests. The third pitch seems shorter than the fourth, and be advised that their combined length is longer than 180 feet. The 5.8+ section on the fifth pitch will seem easy after the previous pitches. It's short, with good holds. Don't let the 5.6 rating on the next pitch fool you, though. Shortly into the sixth pitch is a steep, difficult section that is as hard as the 5.8+ on the fifth pitch. The last two pitches wander a lot. If you combine them, you'll probably be fighting serious rope drag.

The descent requires two-rope rappels from each belay, all the way to the bottom. The biggest challenge will be in pulling the rope after each rap without getting it hung up on the rock "horns" formed by the varnish. The crack near the bottom of the climb should present no obstacle as it runs off to the side of the rap route.

Gear

Bring a few big pieces, but don't overdo it. You'll find placements for big pro in the crack on the first two pitches, then none after that. I recommend three big pieces, and a good variety of all sizes, including some very small nuts and cams. You'll have plenty of opportunities to clip bolts on this route, and all the belays are bolted, so a huge rack is not necessary.