This is the prominent climb on the prominent formation in the Comic Book area. A beautiful two-pitch crack running up wonderful white granite. Solid crack climbing skills needed.

P1) Climb a crack running up the wall (interesting 5.8) to a scoop/alcove where two bolt belay is found.

P2) This pitch starts with the crux of the climb. Some call it 10a. Crank your way up and over the upper lip of the scoop and into the continuing crack above. Enjoyable jamming leads to the top of the formation.

Descent: Scramble down off to the back and right through boulders.

Comic Book

The Invisible Man

Cruising for Burgers

Frontal Lobotomy

Pacific Coast Highway

Charlie Brown

Full Frontal Nudity

Follow the marked trail out to the Comic Strip where you will find this climb. This formation will be facing away from you as approach, but it is easily identified as a massive formation which lies at the mouth of rocky canyon heading east (the left as you approach). It is also the next large formation encountered after passing the Mary Worth Buttress.

P1) Start on the most obvious crack splitting the face - this is the

Comic Book

route (5.9+)- and climb it past some wide sections to a dike. Traverse left 20' to a bolted belay on the dike.

P2) Climb sporty friction past three bolts from the belay, aiming for a crack which leads to a ledge.

To descend there exists several options -   1) From the ledge with bolts scramble up an awkward crack to the top of the formation. From here downclimb/scramble to the west down a rocky gully and then circle around the toe of the formation back to your pack. This should take about 10-15 minutes if you hit it right.   2) Rap the route from anchors after the second pitch (165')- with two (2) ropes.  3) Rap 85' from the top anchors down and right to the anchor atop the first pitch of Comic Book. From here a second 85' rap leads to the ground. This is the easiest way to go as it requires a single rope. Not advisable if other parties are climbing the Comic Book route.

This is a really fun two pitch route that is well worth doing when in the area. It's about as good as the Comic Book route and more interesting too, although it typically has fewer stars. Another great route name right up there with

X-Rated Tits

(5.9) which is over near Barker Dam.

Bolted line right of Comic book. Fun climbing on very crunchy rock.

Start from the base of the crag (below where Miramontes guidebook shows).

Bolts are old but fairly good condition and closely spaced, until they become much more spaced higher up, where the climbing is still hard. There's a hole without a bolt--not sure what the story is here.

This is a seldom done but worthy obscurity hiding in plain sight.

P1) Climb up to a solitary bolt, make difficult moves past it and then run it out to a bolted belay on a dike.

2) Head up the arete passing 3 more bolts then run it out past the last bolt to bolted anchors on a ledge.

Although listed as a two-pitch route it's very easy to combine the two into one long pitch.

A really great, steep crack climb, that seems more exposed and difficult that it really is (aren't we always looking for this kind of route?) Excellent protection. One of the first climbs done in the Comic Book area. The young Matt Cox, Dave Evans and Spencer Lennard were very active in climbers in the 70s, establishing many fine routes.

Pitch 1: The first pitch (5.9) is often neglected, but is actually quite good. Layback a wide crack (crux), which quickly becomes fingers; traverse left to a belay on a small ledge (you can scramble up from the left to this spot).

Pitch 2: Clip a bolt, and make a long reach into a finger crack-bomber layback (5.10a/b). Higher up, above a small roof, the crack widens and eases. Belay on a large ledge.

You can also lead this route in a single pitch, but unless you are careful (use runners), rope drag could be a problem.

Make a 100+ foot rap from a 2 bolt anchor. Alternatively, downclimb to the left (Class 4/5).

Motor up the low-angled slab that gradually steepens near the top (crux) to a bolted anchor beneath a headwall. Short and not especially memorable, but it is worth doing if in the area, and/or waiting to get on

Comic Book

. One star out of five.

"Climb a crack and dihedral to a small roof. Traverse left on the crack under the roof, then turn the arete and continue traversing left to the upper part of

Comic Book

. Finish up

Comic Book

. Two pitches. Standard Rack. 1 star out of 4." -Miramontes

I would add that the more convenient finish, and how we did it, is to keep traversing left through

Comic Book

to the chains of

Full Frontal Nudity

and rap off from there. 2 raps with 70m.

Description

Protection

Routes in The Comic Strip - SW Face