Dangerous Sperm Backup 

  1. Scramble up and left up a brushy gully for about 30 feet. From the top of an obvious right-facing flake, wander up to the base of the huge right-facing corner above. 5.6+ 

  2. Climb straight up to the roofs above; you should be about five or eight feet or so to the right of the huge corner. Over the ceilings, then go left or right to the top. 5.8 

  The first pitch had, it seemed to me, very suspect protection for the hardest move. After that, there is a long runout on easier ground; don't fall on this pitch. 

  It is hard to believe that the overhangs on pitch two yield at only 5.8, but they do. The guidebook rating for this section is 5.8+, and although I usually don't contradict the party line, this pitch just ain't hard 5.8. What isn't in dispute is the fun factor - the second pitch is a blast! 

  Standard 'Gunks rack. 

D.S.B

Mac-Reppy

Harvest Moon

Hang Ten

Void Where Inhibited

Main Line

King of P

Fossil Fools

Whatever

Dark Side of the Moon

Spinal Traction

Swells Good

Like a Box of Chocolates

Short and Sassy

Scrambled Legs

Punch and Judy

I'm OK, You're OK

Up in Arms

The Shadow Nose

Ground Control

Far from the Madding Crowd

Up Root

Positively 4th Street

Strange Customs

Interlewd (Lady and the Tramp)

Keystone Kop

Seniors in Motion

Live and Let Die

Across From the Fruitstand

Eowyn

Void Where Prohibited

Lean and Mean

R2-OK?

The Near Side of Far

Fat and Flabby

Akidlleativytoowouldn'tyou

Shootin' the Curl

Hold the Mayo

Outsiders

Roman's Climb Next to Keystone Kop

Spinal Exam

Dirtier, uglier and more neglected then a pack of stray dogs in the rail yard, this "Far Nears" route offers a few fun moves at the top of P2.  The first pitch starts with a scramble up a dirt slope passing several trees before getting into a few technical moves alongside large right-facing blocks that eventually lead to under a roof just shy of a tricky belay spot near a hanging cedar tree.   

  The "Purple Dick" lists this first pitch as 5.1, however this climber's experience would suggest otherwise. (120 ft)  

  P2 begins by the tree in the large right-facing corner with jagged overhanging rocks.  Work the corner past a particularly triangular blade of rock (crux) to the top.  (50 ft)

Locate the large Outsiders block that leans against the cliff and forms an obvious chimney. To the right of that is the left-facing corner system of Main Line. Between those two landmarks, you will see a short left-facing corner and a crack that leads up to a roof that is often adorned with a clump of slings. This is Mac-Reppy.

 Climb the corner and crack, go over the roof into another left-facing corner, then belay (as of 2019 this anchor is less than confidence-inspiring), or go through the roof and corner system immediately above to the top.

The Gunks are not known for steep cracks, but there are some...   

  Start in the chimney of White Pillar and move out to the obvious crack when you can.  If you stem high enough you can start with hand jams; if you move out low, it's fingers.  Or you can avoid the chimney altogether for harder variations.

On the front face of the White Pillar and 10 feet right of a tree filled chimney, diagonal up and right to a small left-facing corner in the roof that is about 25 feet from the ground. Over the roof at this corner (crux) then go to the top of the White Pillar.  

  Rappel in one rope from the tree on top. 

The Voids are two 5.11s on the front side of the Void block.  Void Where Inhibited, also known as the Right Void, clears the well-protected roof at the weakness / left-facing corner on the right, then meanders up the face at somewhat-heady 5.9 to the common tree rappel.

A fun and varied route on the far left end of the Nears; well worth the walk.

 P1: Climb up to the left-facing corner, and eventually make your way around the arete to your right. Make face moves up the line of least resistance to a stance below the roofs. From here, figure your way up and left (or perhaps down, up, left and left) to the horizontals above. Place some pro to protect the second through the crux moves, then walk 15' right to a 2-bolt rap anchor. 90'

 P2: Move right from the belay, and climb straight up past a notch in an overhang (crux, hard-to-place pro). Angle up right through steep rock to the top. 5.8, 60'.

 Descent: Rap 40' from slings on a tree back to the bolt-and-chain anchor atop the first pitch. From here, rap 90' to the ground.

The Williams Wall at the far end of the Nears has many fine climbs that would be quite crowded if found nearer to the road.  This area is somewhat like the Guides Wall area in the Trapps.  It is easily recognized as the clean, appealing slabby area near the end of the cliff. 

  This route is at the far end of this pleasant area.  It is cleaner than many in the area and avoids the large, slightly loose overhanging section common to other routes around it. The descent to the left is relatively short and easy. There is some loose rock near the top so be careful with beginners.  Start at the appealing finger crack instead of the line shown in the guidebooks.  A good route for a beginning leader. 

  This is commonly done in two short pitches. 

  P1: Climb the crack to a large tree. 5.3, 75'. 

  P2(Little White Mushroom): Continue up to the roofy area and left to the top. 5.3, 50'.

Climb up the featured face to a short right-facing corner.  Climb the corner but stay low to exit right from the grassy ledge. Cut back left around bushes to a beautiful face with interesting moves and nice views. The crux is brief and well-protected near the top.  There is a pine tree rap station with slings.

Climb the face about 10 feet right of King of P (crux) to a horizontal with good gear. Step up and make a few very easy moves left, to the base of the right-arching corner. Follow the corner up and right to its top and the natural path back left to the pine tree atop King of P. Protect your follower on the leftward traverse.

Make a bouldery move up to a vegetated ledge 5' up.  Climb low-angle face to a stick-sized tree, then follow a short crack.  Stuff with pro and move up to a stance below the headwall (yellow alien in pebble band out right.)  Smear and balance up the headwall (crux), and follow ledges to a tree anchor.

After the initial moderate climbing, the hard climbing is relatively short but it will still get your blood pumping and lactic acid flowing (at least in us mortals).  You haven't sent the route until you've mantled over the final roof and are standing level with the anchor - then you can claim the send, and jump off into the clean air! It's definitely worth the walk, and you'll likely have the area to yourself (don't miss the excellent 5.10 Muriel's Nose as well). 

  "Climb cracks for about 10 feet, then diagonal up left to follow the cracks that lead up right to the short, overhanging right-facing corner capped by a roof.  Work up to the roof, then undercling out past it and up past the final overhang" - Purple Dick Williams book

Spinal Traction is one of the last routes in the Nears, making it a sweet spot to hang around for an hour or two escaping the crowds, dogs and spray.  Locate the crack in the roof and climb up to where it meets the back wall (5.6).  Aid out the crack, looking for unique nut placements in the good rock and the occasional micro cam or cam hook.  As you near the lip, traverse slightly right as the rock deteriorates slightly (but no worries) and then up the face 20 feet to the pines on occasionally funky placements.   I did this solo lots o' years ago and had a blast but coming around the lip was a little heady.   If you're soloing, you'll have to build your anchor somewhat lower than the start.

Climb to the good hold above the roof, crank the hang (crux), then up to the next roof. Over the roof and up the slab to a pine tree. 

Climb to the ledge that is a short distance up. Move up the face to good holds (crux), then ascend the low-angled slab to a pine tree.  

A fun zig-zag crack with a fitting name. The Swain guide calls this a 5.5, but I'd say it's a bit more technical than that. Climb the crack left, then turn right at the crux (where the crack heads right). Either climb the face on the left or the wide crack on the right, then head up to the tree.

Climb up and right to a ramp that leads up and left to the roof. Climb up a few moves to reach a bomber hand rail. Traverse left on the rail to the lip (dirty.) Keep your feet on and reach like hell over the roof. Finish up and left on the face to a belay/rap tree.

The Williams Wall is the most popular part of the "far Nears" and has started to draw occasional crowds.   All of the routes in this area are pretty good - much better than those in the central part of the Nears. 

  Punch and Judy starts up clean, easier rock just past the steeper part of the face.  It can be used to set a TR on the harder routes to the right. 

  P1: Climb up and then trend right to a belay on the big pine tree of Madding Crowd.  You can rap at this point. 5.5, 100'. 

  P2: This looks improbable but it's not too bad - go right and then up through a steep section. Continue angling up right to the top. With proper care a 5.5 line can be found.  Don't expect much chalk to guide you.  The photo in Williams is your best bet to stay on route here. 5.5, 100'.

Thoughtful face climbing with just enough protection. 

  Boulder past a thin seam (this has a very short, shallow slot that is about 8-10 feet up) to a small overhang. Go left a foot or two, then move up to good holds at the base of another thin crack. Make the crux move past this. Belay at the pine tree. 

  Protection: You need some very small nuts and very small cams.

Start from an alcove and climb up to the ledge below the roof; the roof has an obvious crack, and there is a tree a few feet higher. Move right of the tree and over the roof (crux). Climb past another roof at a crack, then go right approximately 5 feet and find a stance on the slab above. Trend up and left to a less than reassuring belay/rap tree; there are other - recommended - options for belaying. Rap off or scramble to the top. 

1. Climb up to the left edge of the large overhang that is immediately right of the start of Main Line. Move around its left edge, climb into the left-facing corner above, exit right and belay at the bolts. 5.8, 100 feet. 

  2. Approximately 10-15 feet left of the Main Line roof (which is directly above the bolts) there is a short, right-facing corner. Exit left from this (crux), then climb the large overhangs. 5.9, 60 feet. 

This route begins on a blackish face below a small tree and a flat block that is being held up by the tree. 

  Climb the face up left of the tree and block, then up the face to the small roof. Climb through the roof at a small weakness in the middle and continue up to the belay/rap tree. 

  The gear for this route is PG13/R, depending on how creative you are. Excellent face climbing and easily set up as a TR after leading Punch and Judy or Akid.

Climb open book 25 feet up to roof. Traverse right and up (crux) face 5 feet right of right facing corner. Continue up face and belay and pine trees. Traverse 20 feet left to rap at slings/rings above Whatever

Pitch 1 is better than it looks.  Climb the corner to first overhang and exit left onto the face. The crux is on the face after stepping out from corner, and it protects well. Climb face to a comfortable belay at a left facing corner. (75 ft). 

  Pitch 2 is a beautiful line. Follow ceilings right until just below a scary looking block. Airy and gorgeous.  Only a little lichen at the end makes the exit (left of the jutting block) exciting.  This should get cleaned off with time. (60 ft). 

  Highly recommended!

This route is easily TR'd from the bolt anchor for Ground Control and Main Line. Leading it requires big cojones. Not recommended in the purple Williams guide. 

  Climb the ceiling (crux, piton) then up and left to an overhang with a piton under it. Climb past this and up the face into a left-facing corner capped by a ceiling. Move right around the corner and up to the bolts. 11d R, 60'

Start same as Eowyn (it's actually better to start with the Eowyn overhang, as it is more interesting), then head up around the right side of the overhang.  Go across the slab to a right-arcing corner, up this, and continue up until you can make a left traverse on steep blocky terrain (a bit of optimism here).  Climb up to another right-facing corner and follow it (crux) until it ends, then climb a short blocky face to a nice exposed belay ledge on the arete.  Make a belay. 

  P2 - the only real reason to break this up into two pitches is the exposure of the beautiful belay. Head up and left avoiding loose rock and lichen for 30 more feet on not as nice terrain (5.2 or so). 

  Rap with 2 ropes from the Eowyn pine tree

1. Climb a short face to some right-facing flakes to an overhang. Move up a bit, then move up, trending left, to a belay at a cedar. 100 feet, 5.4 

  2. Climb the face just to the right of the right-facing corner until below the triangular block that is wedged in the roof system. Move left below this block, then up through the roof system. 50 feet, 5.7. 

  The rock on the second pitch is a bit crumbly in spots, but it is basically safe and the exposure is a blast. The first pitch is nice, too.

Climb the crack of Up in Arms for 10-12 feet, then traverse right to the nose of the buttress (crux). Wander up the face above for 40 feet or so to a pine tree anchor.  

Live and Let Die is the collection of 3 hard climbs left of Eowyn. Look for a long roof about 15' above the ground.  

  The original line went up just left of Eowyn at a little flake and goes at mid 5.10. Further to the left, the roof can be climbed at its very widest point, which goes at about 5.11b. Another variation climbs the far left side of the roof at a short R-facing corner (5.10c/d). All variations eventually merge to the tree belay on the ledge above. There is a 2nd pitch but I haven't done it and from the information available it doesn't appear very enticing.  

  All of these make great TR climbs after leading something near-by.

In an effort to continue exploring "Far Nears" climbs likely untouched since the Reagan administration, my partner and I worked our way up this "moderately interesting" route.   

  Make your way up P1 past a small right-facing flake to a ledge with some pine trees.  (60 ft) 

  Continue up P2 jug-fest, and enjoy the nice views the exposure grants you.  Top out under a giant ridge-top boulder, and then scramble around it to the trail for a walk-off.  (150 ft)

P1 - Up the face to the overhang.  Through the overhang at the notch (crux)  then angle up left on slab toward a large pine tree (rap station) 40 ft. 

  P2 - A few feet right of tree, up the right facing corner to the overhang.  Left around the arrete and up to a second overhang where you step a bit right then up the steep face.  Continue straight up he slab to a licheny steep juggy face which you continue straight up to a ledge with pine trees.  Up 5 more feet and 10 feet to the right and you are at the pine tree rap station 140 ft. (The second pitch is exposed for 5.4 and really fun). 

  A single 2 rope 60 meter rappel gets you to the ground

This route, also known as the "Left Void" (Avoid where Prohibited in the latest guide), is either the hardest 5.8 in the Gunks, or the easiest-looking 5.11.  When you walk up to it, it looks deceivingly easy - 5.8 at worst! - but that folly is soon revealed.  The crux is the obvious open book, and is well-protected;  the climbing above is runout 5.9 to the rappel tree.

P1 - Start mid-way up the hill with the arrete to your left. Climb the thin face (5.7) to where the route obviously then goes left. Step around the arrete and head up to the tree anchor. 

  P2 - Step left over the void to the right face of the cliff. Traverse right along the face and head up the notch (crux) with good feet and well-placed jugs. Exit the top at the left.

Five feet right of Akidlleativytoowouldn'tyou is a small, left-facing corner. Climb this to its top, move right, then up the slab/face to a  horizontal near the base of a seam. Get good protection at the horizontal, then go up past the seam (crux) to a ledge. Belay at one of several trees.  

  The crux seam is about five feet or so left of the crux seam of I'm OK, You're OK  - it's shorter and a bit less distinct than that one.

Find a left-facing corner 25 feet left of the prominent chimney/gully that is down and left from the start of White Chimney. Climb up the corner to the roof (a very interesting move), then over the roof (crux) to an easy slab. Rap from the pine. 

Climb past small triple-tiered overhangs(kind of dirty) to a slab and then a set of larger triple-tier overhangs. Reach up to mediocre holds and then crank up to a jug. Once you get your feet past the lip it's over. Walk up slab to pine tree belay/rap station.  

  The standard route exits the roof a few feet left of the nose/outside corner. For an easier variation(5.10ish), move 5' further left and pull the roof there.

*Grade suggested 5.9+ since foothold broke*Climb the thin crack to its top, then go up the face for about 40 feet to the small overhang. There is no distinct line to follow, but the protection is adequate and the climbing is never harder than 5.5. Climb past the overhang to a vertical seam, move up the face above (crux) and belay at the tree.

Climb up into the smooth right-facing corner. Make a few moderate moves to gain the roof. Crank, throw, or ninja your way past this roof (crux). Climb another small right-facing corner and continue up the face to the rap anchor.

A sustained and pumpy 5.9 with a nice crux traverse at the beginning and solid dynamic moves on the face near the top.  

  Start at the tree and climb to the right of the traverse under the nose. Step up into the traverse and head left. Exit the traverse and head up the corner. At the top of the corner, step right onto the face head straight up. 

  The easier variation finishes straight up through the lichen. The harder variation traverses right again at the top.

A fun climb that follows a right-leaning crack on the side of a massive block that leans against the main cliff.  

  From atop the boulder pile, step left into the crack. Follow the crack until you step around to easier climbing on the face to the left, and aim for a smallish but live pine tree with slings on it.   

  Or, after a few moves up the slab, move back right to continue climbing the exposed right edge of the block to the top. It is easier climbing than below, but very airy. Once you top out on the block there is a steel cable anchor around a coffee-table block.  This anchor is around a block that seem to move ...

Climb to a large, right-facing corner that is about 15-20 feet right of the roof on Muriel's Nose. Climb the corner, exit left, then go up past several 5.10 cruxes to low angle rock. Finish up the corner (easy) or the face on the left (5.8).  

Previous area: c. Moe (closure) to Harvest Moon

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Routes in d. Harvest Moon to the End