Solar Slab Area Guide

hard technical corner

This climbs the gully to the right of lower solar slab.

1. 150ft 5.1. Climb past first anchor at 80' to second anchor at 150' on a solid ledge beside a small tree.

2. 80ft 5.0. Climb up and left with some 3rd class to the base of a wide chimney split by a rib.

3. 150ft 5.1. Climb up the crack on the right side of the rib, then up some easy slab to a short steep section.

4. 80ft 5.3 Climb up a steep section (stemming), to flat ground, to a second (less) steep section, then look for an anchor on light-coloured rock to the right of the gulley.

Rappel the route (should go on a single 60m rope).

Approach via Johnny Vegas or Solar Slab Gully. Both are easy, Johnny Vegas is great value, too.

Descent - Either do some soloing to the right of the route facing the wall, or follow cairns up and left to the Black Orchard Gully walls. A single 70m rap, (double ropes, on rope stretch just!) or multiple 20-30m raps will get you down to the slabs. From here, it's a ~hour walk down (trend UP the canyon, but down the slabs), and then back down through the canyon to the car. This descent is more tiring than the walk out, but can avoid scary scrambling and abseil madness.

A single rack to 3 will get you there with some inspiring runouts if you choose to link pitches.

Climb pitch 1 further than the original finish, anchor on the block half way up pitch 2. This lets you get to the p3 anchor with a 70m rope. A few other pitches can be linked (you might need to simul ~5m), making for an enjoyable day out.

Starts behind pillar that looks like it has a boulder perched on it, left of the Solar Slab Gully.

1. 5.6 40m Cracks and featured patina to a bolted belay below a right facing corner.

2. 5.6 30m Corner and crack to belay in middle of face.

3. 5.6 30m Up and right to chicken heads on arete. Step left above roof to anchor.

4. 5.4 20m Easily up to 'Solar Slab' terrace.