Via a Prayer to Earl and Valerie with Ryan Montoya.

The general climbing is characterized by plugging a cam behind a loose flake, finger locking the opposing side, and liebacking up. We expected the route to be a sandbag with only the FA party reporting having climbed it, so no disappointments there! Around 5 pitches of neat corners and a scary x-rated ledge tip toe, plus 4 simul blocks.

The 4runner made easy, albeit long, work of the road across Stony Pass, the Rio Grande and within a quarter mile of Beartown, above which a RZR was stuck on the hill with a missing tie rod that we saw a quarter mile back. This was followed by a few hour pack in to the isolated east Grenadiers over Hunchback Pass, and a nice elevated camp in a boggy meadow at 10,900 next to a convenient log across Trinity Creek. We left camp around 620 AM, hiked up amidst bugling elk to the intimidating north face.

There are four known lines on the face, all about the same grade, with only one or two reported ascents each. We audibled over to the Earl and Valerie route, thinking it to be the highest quality based on vague descriptors, despite it saying we would lament not having a no 4. It also seemed to get us to simul terrain fast as 5 pitches before impending weather.

Montoya led off P1, perhaps 160 ft of heads up climbing - damp quartzite with lichen and loose flakes in a vague series of dihedrals. Though not difficult, it was slow going for Montoya, which did not bode well for my leads as a much less talented climber, nor the supposed "consistent 5.9" grade. The crux was fairly awkward, possibly better without a pack.

P2 had a 90 degree v-slot with cams buried in creaking rock, followed by a hard traverse left. We split this up into two short pitches as the next bit was a wide and steep crack above a ledge with a sharp edge. Missing a no 4, a closer belay seemed smart. This had enjoyable footwork and physical liebacking, and only one loose flake.

P3 was the Ledge of Glory. A committing mantle next to a death block placed me on a small ledge. I tip toed right on the sloping ledge around the corner and above the overhanging abyss. There was no gear, meaning a nasty, rope cutting bi-directional, factor 2 pendulum fall should one tip toe slightly too exuberantly. I slowly moved across, shuffling feet until a "fun dihedral." The dihedral was not in fact fun. I jammed on both sides of wobbly mitten sized flakes with toes plastered to lichened quartz. The belay was rendered exciting for lack of the aforementioned no 4, but Montoya made quick work following.

P4 ran us up a 140 ft 5.9 V-slot with thankfully positive palm press holds, if no reasonable gear. Nervous and frayed, I didn’t really want to lead P5, another 100 feet of 5.9, seeing a wide no 4 corner crack above some athletic moves, but surprisingly, neither did Montoya. I led off, plugging some dicey totems in choss and pulling the lieback muttering pure idiocy and curses. I rage climbed the no 4 corner before putting much thought into it, finding jugs not far above. Besides one brief move, this was not particularly sustained.

The description mentioned 500 ft of simul above here. One look at the gloomy sky over yonder, back up towards the summit, and we knew the 500 feet to be short by almost half and far from easy. Montoya led a 350 foot 5.7ish block upwards, with occasional lichen spice. I led another 5.6ish block up 150 feet, and then hard left 100 feet to a perch on the NE face where I hoped climbing would be easier near the other routes. Montoya led another 300 foot 5.7 block that eased into ledge and choss split by brief 5.7. From here, I had a one move boulder problem to the NE summit.

Jubilant now that we could see the sky and noting at least an hour before lightning, we packed gear and started toward the main summit. The excitement nose dived as we found a massive biblical cleft splitting the entire face with 1600 ft below. We eventually worked our way down east and found an exposed ledge, and slogged dehydrated and worn to the summit. Cairns picked up to the SW and we were able to follow a nice southerly ledge to the Silex saddle, following Otina's route down Silex's east bowl. We collapsed to eat and drink, both bonking, just as the skies cut loose.

A walk down to the packs and some soggy shivering before crawling into bags. Our night was interrupted constantly by salt deprived deer munching our pee spots and refusing to be shooed. Morning had the heavy climbing pack slog up and over hunchback, not too painful after rest, and the long drive out.

All in all, the route is a sandbag that could use some traffic before relegating it to classic status, but still an area I'd been hoping to explore. Three stars as reported by the FA? Probably not. In fact, it was surprisingly stressful for a 5-pitch 5.9 with a lot of rambling. We were both reminded somewhat of the Index Traverse, which required full attention and stress for 90% of a 23-hour day. This one required perhaps 80% stress on a 10 hour. So, it's not nearly as bad, but enough to reminisce. We weren't expecting granite crack this go around, but thankful for a new area and a striking face!