Routes in Tunisia

The headwall face left and adjacent to The Schism offers what looks to be some challenging climbing. A few bits of tired pro (pitons and bolts) still remain from some past archaic project. Good luck with that!

Starting from the base of the Head Wall, continue hiking toward the summit, left and up around the Terminator. The cliffs to your right offer some areas to investigate as well as a variety of potential routes to the top of the Terminator. Side Winder is just one of these, and since the route itself isn’t that interesting, it won’t get a description here. Besides, you’ll probably have more fun poking around and finding your own way up. I mention it to let you know the area has been explored a little as a 5th class access to the summit of The Terminator Buttress.

This one starts at the lower south-side base of the Star Wars Buttress, opposite from Death Star. It can be identified by the conspicuously large and slanted overhanging block situated ten meters above the deck. The climb is usually top-roped, but it’s gone free a couple of times. The crux section above the platform ledge can be tricky to protect and TCU’s are nice to have there. Otherwise a light rack of stoppers will serve nicely.

1. Begin with easy moves for five meters, up a low corner fissure to the top of a platform ledge.

2. Next comes the crux; five meters of face climbing upward and left, pulling on well-spaced blades and pockets, then reaching directly up for hidden buckets on the massive leaning block. (Or, bypass the block by moving right onto a leaning slab.)

3. From the slab, traverse left onto the big block and move upward for an easy six-meter scramble to a splitter that’s just beyond vertical.

4. Work the crack until winning onto a narrow ramp.

5. Edge left and upward, and scramble up to the summit. Boulders provide ample anchor foundations.

Variation: Red Five, Standing By (5.8+)

Here’s a deviation from X-Wing that takes a more direct and challenging line from the top of the leaning slab.

1. Instead of moving left to the slanted boulder, traverse right and ascend on steeper slabs.

2. Once level with the bottom of the big splitter on climber's left, edge over to the crack and finish as before.

Launch Pad is a low-angled pitch suitable for beginners, partly because the route is pretty obvious and can be clearly viewed from the bottom. A shallow boulder on the ground near the base of the climb makes a fine perch for the belayer.

1. Begin climbing at the lowest and most western point of the Middle Buttress and ascend directly up the arete, choosing from ample holds.

2. Continue up the conspicuous ridge line to finish the pitch at a vertical wall. Construct an anchor using abundant natural pro.

The first pitch of this climb is terrific for the blossoming novice. The remaining two pitches are fun as well, and offer a healthy measure of exposure. The combination makes an excellent first lead on a very moderate surface. Unfortunately, during each pitch the belayer will eventually lose sight of the climber, making crisp vocal communication critical.

The description that follows is for a multi-pitched ascent to the top, but brand new climbers will have more fun just top-roping the first pitch alone.

A. Pilgrim’s Progress First Pitch, YDS: 5.4, FR: 3

1. Rely on ledges and steps all the way up to, and through, a face bounded on the right by a blocky uneven ridge. A spacious joint between this ridge and the face makes for solid cam and hex placements.

2. Pull over the upper edge of the face onto a counter top. (After top roping, this counter is the best place from which to be lowered. Climbing farther until to reach the natural anchor points beyond the vision of your belayer can make for weak communication and an awkward descent.)

3. If leading, continue up big and easy steps to stacks of boulders. Build a sturdy four-point cordelette anchor and belay your second up to this spot.

B. Pilgrim’s Progress Second Pitch, YDS: 5.5, FR: 4a

You’ll easily find your way along this short ridge line that leads to the exposed cliff on the other side.

1. Edge yourself out over the abyss, pausing long enough to place some pro about midway.

2. Soon, you’re back on solid ground and working your way up to a bolted belay station on the main ridge of the buttress.

3. Secure yourself, get rigged for your partner, and belay on, bro! It’s a nice perch from which to enjoy a spectacular view while you wait for your second to join you.

C. Pilgrim’s Progress Third Pitch, YDS: 5.6, FR: 4b

1. From the bolts, move left past a shallow window that penetrates through the buttress.

2. Go briefly up and right, onto a face and then a gutter that leads to an exposed bolted horn.

3. Follow the buttress upward for a few more, low angled meters and continue along the incline for a glimpse over the edge.

4. To rig a belay station, return to the horn and incorporate the bolt into your anchor system.

After belaying the second and cleaning up the gear, use doubled 60 meter lines to rap from slings, down the east side of the Right Wall, and then to boulders on the ground. When you touch down you should be just 40 meters uphill from where you began at the base of Pilgrim’s first pitch.

The belay stance for this sketchy route is a few paces downhill from the base of Pilgrim's Progress.

1. Climb right, up and over flakes and boulders to a broken arête that frames the main face of Pilgrims Progress.

2. Ascend straight up the arête using buckets and jug handles. Be alert for loose rock and dubious holds.

3. From the top, walk off or rap down on Pilgrim’s first pitch.

Just upslope and east of the Middle Buttress you’ll notice an isolated, tapered gendarme that’s about 25 meters high. Tom Bloom and I put up a lone route beginning at the lowest point on tower’s northwestern base. The climbing can be unsettling as the stability of the rock surface is quite dodgy. Still, ample, solid material is available for those with the will to send it. Bring a medium range of stoppers, cams and TCUs, as well as some slings and longer draws for protection.

1. Ascend up and left, making use of frequent holds and pockets.

2. Checking for large hollow-sounding flakes (which may be weakly attached to the superstructure) work your way to the top of a high-up offwidth where a flake splits from the main edifice.

3. Mantle the flake and step over the gap to an easy finish.

Avoid rapping from the chossy, fragmented horn on top in favor of spanning the deep, narrow chasm to the south and continuing with a 4th class descent along the southeastern backside of the prominence.

The massive crevice slicing down from the top of the Terminator Buttress is both cool and spooky. Climbing up into the gap itself is messy business due to some thick foliation and plenty of loose rock. Plus, lurking in the darkness above are dozens of toaster-sized boulders perched on a hidden ramp. (Beware: these widow makers are just waiting to cascade at the slightest offense.)

Jim Ryan and Christian Hettick initially explored some ground-up climbing in The Schism, but found it to be an inhospitable place. If you decide to make the attempt, watch for pieces of the abseil anchor they built for their escape.

1. Begin in the exit of a ravine on the lower east side of the Star Wars Buttress.

2. On solid holds, make your way to the base of a cracked boulder stacked about 11 meters above the belay stance.

3. After a few careful hand placements in the boulder cracks, traverse left and over to an inset foot ledge scratched along the base of a convex face beneath the anchors.

4. Ascending the face, seek jams and small holds hidden along a guiding vertical seam just above.

This has the same starting position and belay stance as X-Wing.

1. The route immediately moves right, up a scrappy ramp and through heinous bushes, to a squatty dihedral under a roof. Just above eye-level, look to the joint where the roof meets the wall and locate a grippy, angled crack.

2. From here, assault the roof directly, or exploit the crack and use alternating underclings to lie-back your way diagonally around the upper left edge.

3. Next, embark on a delicate dance past tiny, rough scoops and finger grabs to where the wall leans slightly beyond vertical.

4. Find a suitably high placement for one hand, then commit-and-go by pulling down, while smearing with feet.

5. A blind reach to a perfect bucket hold hidden just out of view is the ticket past the final crux.

So far, this conspicuous crack has been a great route for falling off of. Even with a top rope, it’s still waiting for a pure ascent. For now, the anchor is the same as for Launch Pad. The belay stance, however, is about eight meters up the scree on the east (left) side of the Middle Buttress. Consequently, you’ll need to watch for dislodged rocks as the top rope drags on the unseen surface up above the climbing zone. In the future, when someone has the chance, permanent anchor bolts should probably be placed above this pitch.

1. The climbing starts out steep and mostly straightforward. After kung·foo·fightin’ your way past an offensive bush, follow a vertical joint that might work for a lie-back higher up.

2. The uppermost section requires unforgiving hand placements in a razor-laced crack behind a flake.

3. Transitioning from the crack onto a ledge above is the crux. Once that’s behind you the route merges with Launch Pad for an easy finish.

This route begins on the east side of the Middle Buttress just below the entrance to the 4th class access passage described earlier. For a top rope anchor, scramble up the same access route as for Launch Pad and place slings around a prominent horn located at the top of the route.

1. The climbing starts out moderate and becomes a bit tricky at an off-balanced face just below the top.

P1:7b P2:7c