A sustained voyage with many excellent pitches, exposed positions and a wild finish leaning out over the entire cliff. This is a mixed route: mainly traditional with 24 lead bolts over entire route. It shares 3 bolted stances on A Private Universe (APU) and has additional bolted stances for efficient, inline hauling.
Start: at the large rock pillar leaning against the wall as for APU. The first pitch follows APU and then goes straight where APU continues right. The first pitch is described in detail as alternative breaks in the lower roof are more run-out and scary, and other parties have got lost on this section.
Up the leaning pillar and then continue up and slightly right to gain the narrow roof ~30m up. The break to aim for has a lower section of roof on the left (with a wide crack in its underside) and then another roof ~1m higher on right (see photo). At the lower roof section, rail right for ~1m – slightly grassy but can take a #4 Camalot. Pull back up and left to layback holds and pass the higher right-hand roof section on its left side. At this level, head easily up and right up for few meters, then head straight
up the face to the narrow roof above (~42m above the ground). Move slightly left and then up a vertical crack below a large prominent tree. Bolted haul station to the left of the tree.
Move up and right to above the tree and then more or less straight up to top of the slabs. Single haul bolt below a rail.
(1 bolt) Start slightly left of the anchor up the face to pass the roof on its left side. Follow the arête, often on good holds to the left, past a bolt to the final overlap. Straight up to a bolted APU stance.
(4 bolts) The Pyramid. Starting slightly right, move left to the bolt and up the thin seam to a ledge. Head diagonally right along the side of the Pyramid (#4 Camalot useful) to the apex. Pull up onto the steep, blunt arête passing 3 bolts, then slightly left to a small, right-facing corner. Exit the top of
corner to the left (cams at ankle height) and traverse left a few meters until able to mantle up to a ledge with double bolt anchor.
(3 bolts) Climb up past 2 bolts to a roof above a shale band. The second bolt can either be climbed straight with a reachy move or to the right on crimps. At the roof, move left and pull through at the third bolt. Continue up ~5m to belay at a narrow ledge with a finger rail 2.5 m higher up (#0.4 to
#0.5 Camalot size required).
(4 bolts) Head up and left to the base of the arête (bolt). Pull around the arete and pass 3 more bolts, exiting right at the top of the corner. Step back left to a large left facing corner (optional stance) and then follow the weakness up and right to arrive at the bolted APU anchor on the far-left side of the
Private Bivy (APU takes a lower rising traverse to the middle of the Private Bivy).
(1 bolt) The Boulder Move. From the anchor on the far-left side of the left-hand bivy ledge, boulder past the bolt, then straight up into the corner crack to a narrow ledge (small to medium cams).
Traverse right for ~2m and then diagonally up right on easiest line to the rail below the roof. Rail right for ~10m, passing under the steep, wide crack on APU to an airy perch with a rail for small to medium cams. It is possible to use similar gear in the rail and to step down and right ~2m to another
narrow ledge for a more comfortable stance.
Start up a finger crack to the right of the perch stance and step back left to a prong above the belay. Navigate the steep recess to a rail under an overlap. Traverse left to the 3 bolt anchor on APU.
Traverse left on a good foot ledge, under the bolts on APU. Continue left, stepping down a level and then back up to a left- facing groove. Pull up the wide crack and left onto the face, then traverse a few meters further left to a bolted stance.
(3 bolts) Step right and then up past two bolts to a ledge. Climb the steep, fierce crack to a bolted stance above a small ledge (this is the right end of the Moonshine Cave – possible bivy).
(2 bolts) Tricky moves off the anchor past a bolt and small cam placement to a rail. Carry on up and then slightly left to the 3 bolt stance on APU (possible bivy on the Long Ledge to the right). Tend up and left (APU goes right) passing one more bolt to a big ledge with good rail for finger size cams. The
Moonshine Ledge can be accessed by traversing ~25m left – lower out and haul bags if sleeping there.
This pitch wanders a bit and requires careful rope management (see photo). Directly above stance is a grey, left facing corner. Climb this until you find a wide gash that breaks off to the right. Follow this to a rail. Traverse right a few meters to some good vertical slots. Pull up to a rail, then traverse right again to an orange bulge. Up to a rail (APU bolts even further right), then traverse back left to a right facing recess. Finish up this to a broad ledge. Here, APU bolts go up and right, but move
left and stance (finger to medium size cams) below the steep bolted face.
(4 bolts) The Sport Pitch. Fly up the overhanging face past 4 bolts to a rail at the roof. Traverse left until able to pull up onto easier ground. Step right and up to a ledge (bolted anchor). Can be climbed with 4 quickdraws and a handful of finger to medium sized cams.
A stellar pitch of moderate climbing. Start just right of the anchor and tend diagonally right for ~6 m, then tend left across the face aiming for the narrowest break through the overlap (with a semi-attached chock stone). Head straight up towards a small triangular roof, then move left to exit left via a vague diagonal under a slanted roof (see photo). Stance at good horizontal rail ~5m higher at a sloping shelf. To the right on the ledge is another possible bivy.
(2 bolts) Up left to a mantle by a bolt, then up and further left until reaching the large fin shaped rock (Moonshine traverses under it). Step right into the left facing corner with one bolt. Exit onto a sloping shelf and traverse right to a grey left facing recess. Up to the roof and rail right. Either stance at the first narrow ledge (more in line with next pitch) or slightly up and left on a bigger grassy ledge.
Follow the rising weakness on the right with a steep finish onto a grassy ledge.
The Space Cowboy. Start up the corner to reach the roof. Rail ~5m right (#4 Camalot useful) and pull up onto the enormous rib to ride the bronco and the end of the universe. Dismount and finish up and slightly left to find a bolted anchor over the lip.
Notes:
Suggested rack: 60m half ropes and 60m haul line (tag line saves weight for leader). Triple set of cams from micro to #0.5 Camalot, doubles from #0.75 to #3 Camalot and one #4 Camalot. Standard set of wires sufficient.
Hauling: See topo for recommendations. Tie off at each anchor to protect leader in case bags fall off ledges. Fortunately it is possible to do one haul through the Dog Leg. Pitches 7 to 10: a 60m line on the bags left at the Private Bivy can be tied tight at anchor 9 and the leader can trail the remainder of the haul line across the traverse and it just reaches anchor 10.
