A sustained climb with a wide mix of stemming and flared jams

Fist Full of Crystals

Phineas P. Phart

The Decompensator of Lhasa

Hoopharkz

Super Monster Killer

Grain Surgery

Deflowered

Phineas' Pinnacle

This is a sustained, aesthetic shallow crack and steep friction climb, with a 10'-15' runout at the crux.  I found it to be plenty exciting.

Located on the right hand face of the upper east side of Steve Canyon. Start off a boulder to the right of the large central chimney system (

Hoopharkz

, 5.4).

From the boulder, reach out right to a horizontal and the left-arching crack system above (small cams). A direct start is possible (5.11c/d) but the complete lack of pro keeps people off. Above, gear in the horizontal protects moves up to steep friction past 2 bolts (crux). Higher, a third bolt protects a traverse right to the arete where a 4th and last bolt protects moves to the top.

As an alternative start, begin some 15-20 right and below the boulder up right slanting cracks to a ledge (5.10a/b). Belay here (to avoid rope drag) and traverse left to the upper bolted face. This is actually the way the first ascent went.

When this was first done in EB's, the smearing seemed way hard; modern rubber has taken the bite out of the difficulty.

BTW, There has never been a fixed anchor on top of this part of the formation. Save a couple pieces for the anchor. Walk-off/Downclimb is to the far left (down and then under large block).

A pleasant chimney up the center of the southwest face of the formation

Steve Canyon is a well known windy day crag; this route (which faces west and is sunny most of the day) is a good bet when the "phoon" winds strike. This route is located on the upper of two west facing formations that constitute the east side of Steve Canyon. This is a fun, moderate face and crack route with decent protection.

Start up the farthest left major crack system; where it peters out, a bolt protects moves up and left to a horizontal. Above (crux) face climb past 1 more bolt to the summit (several variations exist).

A 2 bolt anchor is found on top, Either rappel or take the easy (Class 4) walk off (left) under the block.

Deflowered offers a nice range of crack widths and styles over its length, starting with shallow, flaring twin cracks at the bottom before moving into a nice wide chimney, then a lieback flake, and finally a bit of steep, bouldery fist/OW to the finishing jugs.  It's a fun climb in a location that has a really short, easy approach, yet doesn't have a lot of the traffic of the climbs closer to Hidden Valley.  Not a showstopper, but definitely fun if you're in the area (and aren't you more or less always in the area?)

Vogel rates this climb a 5.6 -- if so, it's the hardest 5.6 I've climbed at JT.  Feels like a good solid 5.7 in my book.

As you enter Steve Canyon from the direction of Hidden Valley CG, Deflowered will be on the right side, about two-thirds of the way up -- on the opposite side of the canyon from Super Roof (Vogel describes this section of Steve Canyon as "Upper East Side (West Face)").  Look for a large chimney that splits the face (5.4); Deflowered takes the slightly narrower crack that starts about 10 feet to the right (down-canyon).  Start on top of a large block.

A short route up the backside of a perched pinnacle that leads to a novel summit.

Single bolt anchor unless replaced, so either downclimb or simul-rap off the summit.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Grain Surgery Wall