Pitch Four

 The end of pitch three left us on another large ledge.  Above this point the rock appeared to be a bit more solid and again quite steep.  It didn't look like there was going to be a chicken exit on the next pitch! 

It was about 9am--coffee time (or close enough).  Angela dug into her pack and pulled out some goodies.  We were still in the shade so we didn't linger long--we could see sunshine on the rock up ahead.

After fueling up and re-racking, I was on my way.  The initial obstacle on this pitch was a bit of a free standing tower seemingly made of stacked blocks.  I considered climbing up behind it (there's a tight chimney back there) but thought better of it and instead headed right up the front of it.  There was an immediate large drop on my left now!  Once on top, I was pleased to find that the step across to the main ridge wasn't all that far.  Looking down the tight chimney behind it, I was glad I had not gone that way.  While I'm not all that averse to suffering, you've got to draw a line somewhere!

After stepping off the tower, the pitch finished up on fairly steep but relatively solid rock.  Compared to the first three pitches, this one was a real joy to climb.  Soon I found myself on yet another large ledge--only this time I was soaking in the sun!

Keep Climbing Upward?
or
Back to Route Overview...