First climb after the pandemic of COVID-19; I will not get into details on that, but happy to have kept my job and my family is all healthy. Did a short after work climb on the relatively new route of "Slabby McSlabface", a route just set in September of 2018 by Ian Greant and Grant Parkin. This route is basically beside the Baldy Crag, just in a small drainage to the south. Fun, casual four pitch route, all bolted, with easy approach and descent. As we climbed the route, a second party arrived, but there is a second route, just to the right, the two share the same first pitch, we didn't know that. Apparently it has a crux of 5.7. We wanted to climb it after our climb of Slabby McSlabface, but the two were ridiculously slow on their descent, so after waiting 30 minutes, we rapped out.
A topo with route approach beta is available here: https://www.tabvar.org/node/287
I would say the route grading is accurate and modern in its rating. Pitch 1 is short, with the crux section where the canyon narrows near the top, fun easy slab. A short walk on scree takes you to the start of the real climbing of pitch 2. This pitch is easy, but fun, as is the third pitch. Pitch 4 is the money, fun 5.6 slab with good hands to get over a couple of steepish steps. Easy anchor position makes rappel easy and breezy, good route for after work spring/summer days, recommended.
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| Gearing up at base of route |
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| First pitch (5.6) the route enters a tight canyon then up into a broader bay/basin. |
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| OSWB leading first pitch (photo by Laurie K.) |
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| View from first anchor. |
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| LK on second of first pitch. |
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| Laurie at second station, easy slab pitch beneath tree. (P2 - 5.3, 30M) |
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| Looking up pitch 2 |
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| Looking down to second anchor, part way up pitch 3. |
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| Looking up pitch 3 from station. (Photo by Laurie K.) |
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| From station 3, looking up pitch 4. |
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| Other party on other route. |
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| View to route crux on pitch 4. |
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| LK heading into the crux. |
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| LK cruxing (styling) |
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| OSWB rapping pitch 4 (Photo by Laurie K.) |
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| LK rapping pitch 4 |
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| Both route in this photo, other route on right side of slab. |
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| LK rapping pitch 1. |
