Route descriptions (12 September 2007)
East face topo (15 July 2007)
North face topo (-)
Southeast face topo (15 July 2007)
Southwest face topo (22 August 2007)
West face topo (12 September 2007)
Approach: Contour around the north side of the Witch from the Witch/Sorcerer notch. Hike uphill briefly to the base of the north face.
Descent: From the north summit, rapel to the second Howling anchor (C2), then again to the ground. Both rapels require double ropes, although the first from the summit will just barely reach with a 70m.
It is also possible to rapel further to the east, using some of the Ghostbumps anchors. This rapel route can be done with a single rope.
A. unknown
Offwidth.
B. Flying Warlocks, 5.10
Two pitches, some bolts. Starts at a hole in the rock with a crack in its center. It goes around the left end of a roof with a hidden bucket.
C. Ghostbumps, 5.10
Two pitches, some bolts. Starts as a lieback flake.
D. The Howling, left start, 5.9
Climb the right facing corner and crack system to the top of P2 of The Howling.
Gear to 3", a 4-5" piece may be helpful at the top.
E. The Howling, 5.10a
P1 (5.9): Start at a short slot, climb up into the hand crack and up to a spacious ledge that overlooks the Warlock/Witch gully.
P2 (5.8): Traverse left on the ledge just below the belay ledge. Work around the corner and up a short way to the belay. A 4-5" piece may be helpful on this pitch.
P3 (5.10a): Climb up to reach the face left of the arete. Get onto the face (5.9 scary) and climb past three bolts. Continue past the Titanic anchor to the summit. Descend by rappelling the route.
Gear to 3".
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| West Face of the Warlock | West Face of the Warlock |
Approach: Climb the Howling to the ledge at the top of the first pitch. Rap into the gully between the Witch and the Warlock (double rope rapel). Alternatively climb up the chimney (5.7) right of The Howling and tunnel through to the rap anchors on the gully side. Rap into the gully from there using a single rope.
Descent: From the north summit, rapel to A2, then again to the ground. Both rapels require double ropes.
From the middle summit, scramble down into the notch with the North summit. Climb bolts at the east end of the notch to the top of the north summit. There are three bolts on the notch side, these can be climbed at 5.10+ or aided. There are also two bolts just around the arete on the east side that are part of the last pitch of Imaginary Voyage (5.9).
From the south summit, scramble up to the top of the middle summit (5.7).
A. The Howling, 5.10a
See the North Face topo.
B. The Titanic, 5.12+
Wide crack corner to bolted face. It is possible to start from the higher ledge and traverse in from the left to avoid the offwidth section at the start.
C. The Spell, 5.10c
P1 (5.9): Climb up and right to a ledge below a chimney. Climb the chimney going past a large block and belay at a stance in an alcove below a roof.
P2 (5.10c): Climb over the roof and continue up the flare. The crack in the back of the flare widens from 3" to a long and sustained 4-6". Chimney out of the alcove (no pro) at the top to reach the notch between the north and middle summits.
Gear to 6". Bring many from 3" to 6". A few pieces to 1/2" can be used for the first belay.
Road to Perdition, 5.11+? R+
The following route description is by Michael Reardon. Left start to Straight to Hell. Start about 200 feet to the left (far below "Titanic") on obvious blocks and keep traversing right until reaching the final twenty feet which makes you pause a bit. Very thin smears/edges until reaching the first anchors on Straight to Hell. Unbolted with minimal gear.
D. Straight To Hell, 5.12d
P1 (5.11): Crack to a bolt belay below a flake.
P2 (5.12): The Moser/Vernon/Paul guide shows the route continuing up the left side of the flake before traversing right to the bolt anchor. There are two fixed pins right next to each other plus at least two bolts going right and up to the anchor. This is the line shown on the topo.
P3 (5.10): Face climbing to the top.
No known second ascent.
E. Sarcophagus, 5.8/5.9
Not recommended. Much lose rock that would be very dangerous to the belayer below is reported. Gear to 5".
Approach: Descend the Witch/Sorcerer gully and contour around the base of the Necromancer. Climb back uphill a little to the base of the Warlock. Alternatively, get to the base of the Witch/Sorcerer gully by descending from the notch between the Magician and the Djin and contouring around the base of the Sorcerer's Apprentice.
The Warlock can also be reached from the road below. Hike uphill from the road.
Descent: Rapel the route or top out on the south summit and follow the descent instructions for the West Face.
A. Fate in Place, 5.10
Offwidth. Gear to 5".
B. Circling Sharks, 5.11d/5.12a
C. Romantic Warrior, 5.12b
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| Bob on pitch 4 (5.12a) | Mike on pitch 5 (5.12a) | Hristo on pitch 5 (5.12a) | Bob on pitch 6 (5.8) | Hristo on pitch 7, the Book of Deception (5.12b) | Hristo on pitch 8 (5.11d) |
D. Sea of Tranquility, 5.12b
The difficulty of this route varies from 5.11+ to 5.12b depending on the source.
P1 (5.10a): Climb the first pitch of Romantic Warrior.
P2 (5.10): The topo shows the route as traversing from the C1 anchor of Romantic Warrior. However it looks like it would be much better to traverse from 20-30 feet up P2 of Romantic Warrior as the face is much more featured up there.
P3 (5.11+): -
P4 (5.11+): Hard and very interesting climbing. One very hard move that may be A0 or V6, but otherwise the climbing is generally sustained 5.11. Very scary lead. At the top of the pitch, go past the first set of anchors and belay at the C5 anchor on Romantic Warrior as the bolts there are better and have rap chains.
E. The Escape, 5.11 A1 X
The topo shows two bolts on the pitch between E1 and E2, but they have not been confirmed. The climbing there is on positive edges for the most part.
F. Pegasus, 5.10+
Offwidth.
G. Electric Spook, 5.10+
H. The Brass Monkey, 5.12-
Said to be a good route.
I. War Paint, 5.10
J. South Face, 5.9 or 5.11+
See description under Southeast Face section.
Approach: Contour around the north side of the Witch from the Witch/Sorcerer notch. Continue around the north side of the Warlock and then down from the saddle between the Warlock and Voodoo Dome.
Descent: From the large ledge below the summit rapel from an anchor at the north end of the ledge. Two rapels to a ledge that can be exited to the west near the base of The Howling. From the summit, rapel to the large ledge from the Imaginary Voyage anchors on the east side, or rapel The Howling from anchors on the north west side.
A. Split Decision, 5.10+/5.11-
B. Specter, 5.10
C. South Face, 5.9 or 5.11+
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| Erika scopes the first pitch |
D. S Crack, 5.10
Squeeze crux.
E. Rainbow in the Dark, 5.12b
Line and bolts shown is very approximate.
F. Bird of Prey, 5.11b
Route description from a post by Rob Brown on summitpost.org. Line and bolt locations shown on topo are approximate.
P1 (5.7): Climb the dihedral and belay on a ledge. A large flake can be slung as the anchor using a long runner.
P2 (5.11b): Climb up left then straight up passing two bolts to a thin corner/crack which requires stemming and face climbing (5.10b). From here, climb the left facing dihedral passing three more bolts. The crux is passing the last bolt and requires delicate liebacking (5.11b). Above the crux continue up the corner then face climb up and left when the crack in the corner runs out (5.10a). Belay at bolts.
P3 (5.10b): Climb up a crack to a bolt, pass the bolt (5.10a) and gain another short section of crack then go up left to the second bolt (5.10b), then easy but runout climbing leads up and right to the belay.
P4 (5.9): Climb up the left facing corner until the crack runs out and it is possible to face climb up left to a crack. Belay in the crack when you run out of rope.
P5 (?): Continue up the crack and corner to a ledge with a two bolt belay. It may be possible to link pitches 4 and 5 with a 60m rope.
P6 (5.10): At this point the route joins up with "S-crack". This is the last chance to rappel the route. No fixed anchor's above here. Climb the 5.10 OW squeeze chimney to a ledge and belay.
P7 (5.9): 5.9 crack climbing.
P8 (5.7): 5.7 crack climbing.
F.A. Mike Flood and Rob Brown 1992.
Gear: 2 each 1/4" to 3/4", 1 each 1" to 3 1/2", one set of nuts with extra small nuts. Two ropes required to rap from P5.
G. Giant Steps, 5.10
Line and bolt locations shown on topo are approximate.
H. A Gathering of Wolves, aka Repo Man, 5.10+
Line and bolt locations shown on topo are approximate.
I. Planet Waves, 5.11c
Line and bolt locations shown on topo are approximate.
J. Imaginary Voyage, 5.9-
P1 (5.8): Varies from fingers to wide hands, sometimes bottoming and shallow. With a 60 m rope climb past the bolt and belay at the small ledge. This is a long pitch.
P2 (5.9): Continue up the low angle left facing corner. Continue up the hand and wide hands crack and then traverse left across the face to reach a chimney. Belay at the base of the chimney. Half way up this pitch it is possible to escape right along a ledge system that goes around the corner and to the ground on the north side. The escape right is mostly easy fifth class.
P3 (5.9): Climb the chimney then follow a wide groove up to underneath some large blocks. Climb up and right to reach a large ledge. This is a long pitch.
P4 (5.9): Climb up the 4" crack between the North and Middle summits and over some chockstones. Chimney up until it is possible to step right onto the face. Climb past two bolts to an anchor on the summit.
Gear to 4".
K. Shadows in the Rain, 5.10+ X
Line and bolt locations shown on topo are approximate.
L. Dragon's Back, 5.10+/5.11-
Line and bolt locations shown on topo are approximate.
