Overview
The Great Northern Slab is a nice introduction to Index climbing. The second pitch of this route features a really fun twin fingercrack on a slab.
Getting There
Walk the trail from the parking lot to the first piece of rock you see (about 1 minute).
Route Description
Pitch #1, Option #1 - 5.2 - Scramble up to the right side of the first cliff and climb a short chimney (unroped) to reach the ledge above. This chimney says "3rd class" in the guidebook but is actually low 5th. Scramble accross the ledge to your left to the end, then belay just before it becomes 5th class. Now rope up and climb the low angle crack system up toward the 2 big railroad bolts. Belay here. 80 feet
The second option is to start on the far left side of the GNS area and climb a crack system directly up to the railraod bolts avoiding the chimney.
Pitch #2 - 5.7 - Move up the crack just left of the railroad bolts then pull over the bulge. Traverse to your right then jamb the nice twin fingercracks up to the bolted anchor above. 70 feet
Pitch #3 - 5.6 - Scramble up to the tree then traverse to your right to gain the thin fingercrack on the slab. Climb this to the anchor at the tree. 90 feet
Down - Rap the route with 3 single rope rappels
Essential Gear
1 set of cams to a #2 camalot
1 set of nuts
60 meter rope
External Links
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