True Grit 8/4/2019
We camped after climbing Mile High Club the day before and got an early start, it was perfect! Sun was already on the wall well before we got there! It seems like the wall actually gets shaded around noon at this time of the year.
- 5:20 woke up
- 6:05 started
- 7:00 at base
- 7:30 started climbing
- 10:00 summit
- 10:30 both on summit
- 11:20 heading down
- 12:00 at tents
- 12:55 hiking down
- 3:40 car
Approach
Hike the normal trail to Vesper, and at around 5,600 feet, spot a turnoff to the right.
You'll instantly get an epic view of the lake. Continue left along the heather ledges across some steep sections (hopefully no snow as long as you went late enough in the season).
After about 10 minutes, you'll find the 4th class 10 foot scramble to the belay ledge.
Pitch 1
I think pitch 1 officially actually goes up around the left side of where Alexis is in this photo, but this route also works. Ends at a bolted anchor.
Pitch 2
Up the chimney (or bypass by walking around the right), and then slabby bolted section finishing on a grassy ledge with another bolted anchor.
The start of the slabby bolted section
Then some heather steps to the belay ledge with the bolted anchor...
From this belay ledge, it seems like you could easily cross over to Ragged Edge
Pitch 3
Another bolted slab with a reachy move just above the first bolt, then some trad section in the flakier pieces near the end up to another ledge for the bolted belay.
Liv leading P3
Pitch 4
The crux finger crack pitch. It goes up one crack and then a bolt protects the traverse to the right crack, and continues up some more, to three more bolts and then the bolted anchor. I only used a 0.2 cam at the smallest, and quite a few nuts, I placed 12 pieces total including the bolts.
Pitch 5
All bolted! Like 5-6 bolts to the top including a piton, then sling a rock on the top and belay.
Summit
Prepare to be greeted by hikers at the summit! Gorgeous views.
Descent
Take the hiking trail (class 3) back down!