Vías en Las Estrellas para grado seleccionado

This is the classic long, easy, multi-pitch climb at El Potrero Chico. The climbing is never sustained at harder than 5.9, and the hardest section of 5.10b can be avoided by going up 5.7 jugs slightly off route. And it finishes at a lovely summit, often wind blown, with great views and a lone palm tree.

There is, also, a handy name plate riveted to the rock at the start of this climb, making it easy to find. The climb is part way up from the carved out "smooth rock stairs" about ~30m from the base on the left side of the canyon (pretty close to the base). Starts in a left facing corner.

Rarely climbed in any of the 5.11 variations, just isn't classic at this level.

Hard variations are: Pitch 3. (5.11b) Go straight up (rather than angling rightwards), then traverse right to the anchor. Pitch 4. (5.11a) Go straight up, rather than left traverse.

1. (5.9) Find the name plate, and follow the bolts upwards.

2. (5.9) More bolts.

3. (5.9) Left from the anchor, then trend rightwards. (Straight up instead of rightwards is the 5.11b variation.)

4. (5.8) Traverse leftwards, around the corner, then up and right again. (straight up is the 5.11a variation)

5. (3rd class) Follow the fixed rope then right. Do not climb past 5th pitch unless committed to finishing -- rapping the upper pitches will endanger any climbers that might be below.

6. (5.5) Wander up the gentle slab until you (finally) spot a bolt.

7. (5.6) Keep going up the ramp.

8. (5.10a) Bolts, watching for a turn left and up.

9. (5.9) Bolts.

10. (5.10b, 5.9+ if you skip the crux by using jugs to the right of the line) Bolts.

11. (5.10a) Bolts.

12. (5.7) Up the chimney.

Linking pitch 3 & 4 can cause awful rope drag. Linking 6 & 7 needs a 70m rope or simul-climbing by belayer on easy (5.0) terrain.

Descent: descend the fixed rope to the first rappel anchor. Do 5 rappels off the back side, watching for guiding arrows. You will be rappelling over a small ravine to a ridge, then down into the Los Lobos canyon. Walk down the canyon.

Obvious wide crack at top of canyon. Vegetated. Trad, but might have bolted belays.

Climbs the face and crack on the front (south) side of Tami's Pillar. Share's anchor with Tami's Pillar.