This striking arete was originally a Mark Rolofson project, but was freed by Tommy Caldwell in the summer of 1996. Easily visible from CO Highway 7, this route begs to be climbed. However, due to a (mild) hike and some impossibly thin foot, and finger work, this route has seen less than half a dozen redpoints.

Begin the climb with a strange and difficult series of moves bending left over the lowest point of the arete (13a/b). Follow with ~40 feet of very enjoyable moderate climbing to a hard (12d) move sequence over a small roof. Finish the route with a ~10 move (13+) puzzle on small grips and invisible feet. Classic.

Stiletto

October Light

Perfect Stemetry

Goldfinger

Gold Stiletto aka Stiletto/Gold

The Rabbit Hole

Crack Therapy

Belligerent Buttress

The crux is probably 5.9 but is only the first 8 feet off the ground and well-protected. The rest can be done in two pitches (85' and 65') or one long pitch. There is lichen in places, but use will fix that. The climbing is varied, imaginative and fun.

Begin in the obvious alcove below bolts for 2 sport routes. Climb the tricky start, and hand traverse up and right to a strange squeeze at the apex. Continue up the v-slot to a belay (or not) at the base of a chimney. Climb the chimney, and continue up the outside of the wide crack (stemming not OW) on to easier ground to the top.

Climb an easy, right-trending crack to the base of a large roof.  Make some long, unusual, crimpy moves over the overhang and funk your way into the corner to better holds.  Rest up, and then contort past 10 feet of insecure stemming and palming to a good lieback.  Make a few more big moves on easier terrain until you reach the anchors.

This lengthy route climbs the center of the immaculate stone to the right of

Stiletto

. A rock climber with even the slightest attraction towards aesthetics will be magnetically drawn to this line.

Climb through a ~20 foot band of choss to a small ledge and your first bolt. Continue up the just off-vertical face on five star stone for ~55 ft, moving between good edges and flakes (10d). Clip the bolt above the small roof from a slopping rail, then catch your breath before a series of thin holds and engaging footwork (13a). Continue directly into a puzzling 12+ finish to the only big hold on the route, exhale. Classic.

OK, this is a link-up, but it's a very-very-very-good link-up. Climb the first nine bolts of

Stiletto

, passing through its strange but ultimately awesome lower 5.13- crux, moving up the 5.12 face/arete moves above, copping the rest around the left side of the arete, then surging into the 5.12d arete/compression crux over the rooflet. At bolt nine, bust right into the undercling/flake system on

Goldfinger

, cop a rest on the good flake, then finish out the final two bolts of

Goldfinger

(techy, ticky-tacky 5.12d).

There are 11 bolts total. Long draws for drag are helpful on the first and fourth bolts; use an extendo draw on the last bolt to clip before you head into the final crux.

This climbs a mine shaft at the end of an abandoned gold mine. After rappelling down to the bottom, there are two routes back up. The crux is halfway through the route where the rock faces out and you run out of holds. The level of difficulty is due to the condition of the rock, moisture, and a layer of mud - which makes finding a good hold difficult at times, but that's part of the fun.

Very short and kind of sweet, Crack Therapy follows a finger crack up a steep, 20 foot wall past three bolts.  At the top, execute a slopey mantle and continue past easy terrain to the anchors.

With the exception of a single, short trad crack the Belligerent Buttress is the easiest route on The Fang. It begins off a flake/block system on the right (West) end of the crag, facing North.

Difficulties begin immediately. A clip underneath an overhang launches the first hard move (5.12a) that simply gets you started on the route. Pull left, around, and over the lip of the overhang to catch some very thin face climbing above. Cruxes at 35 feet and 65 feet, both 5.12a/b, complete the climbing. Everything you need is close at hand, including a thin seam system near the top. Hang on, stay on your feet, and enjoy one of the best routes on The Fang.

Three stars for the great stone, the climbing moves, the continuity, and the fine bolting job.

Description

Protection

Routes in The Fang