Ascent Notes for: Moby Dick - 5.8 Average Rating : 4.32/5

Amazing route!

Led 1,3,5

Followed Peter. Committing for the leader, I suppose, if leading at their limit. With only 1 pitch at 5.8, though, I don't get how the route earned it's Stars Status... Not that it wasn't fun, of course, and the hike in is quite nice. All in all, pleasant experience.

I threw the rap rope, and it was a windy day.... Yes, the flake bit down - on my partners first-time ever used double ropes, too. Yikes! I had to batman over towards the snag and then let loose and try to whip the rope loose. The god's must have taken pity, for the rope seemed to release itself after three attempts. Phew!!!!

Excellent route, excellent rock. Fun!!!

Climbed last pitch in 45 mph wind gusts. Though the fifth pitch is an easy 5.7, it is very exposed and the wind made it quite heady! Leader could not find bolted anchors on fifth pitch and had to rig one up with pro. It can be done in 3 pitches with half ropes.

led 2,4 and "6, kinda"...missed all the money leads

is a whale but the rest are just minnows. There is a spot on the first that falling would be unwise. After that there are some more runouts but the climbing is easy. Be careful that rappel is a rope eater (as evidenced by the two ropes caught in the chickenheads off tot the climbers left.)

Fun making these anchors

Long slings very helpful for slinging chickenheads.

We placed a #5 camalot a couple of times -- start of first pitch, and higher up as well. Also used a .3 camalot a few times.

Two of the anchors are natural: tree plus chickenhead for P2, and chickenheads for P3. If you need to bail, it is not possible to rappel without leaving gear.

Took us two hours to find the route, and 2.5 hours from the base of the rappel back to the car. Creek was high, several downed trees in the approach gully, and hiked out in the dark. So, YMMV.

For the descent, not far from the rappel is a section where you make a hard left to avoid a drop-off. There is a cairn marker here that is easy to miss in the dark.

Finally, if you have the Falcon Arizona guide, there is a topo for Moby Dick on page 136 that is incorrectly attributed as Pony Express.

My first climb back after hip replacement surgery. I thought this was a very fun route. P1 is the crux, and I thought it stayed interesting the whole way. The chicken heads were not quite what I expected. great summit, spectacular area.