Parent The Sheepshead
Miles 3
Elevation gain 900
Highest elevation 6538
YDS rating 5.8
Pitches 5
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A mostly bolted climb (supplemental gear), but the first pitch is 100% trad. All anchors are bolted. Tops out! Walk-off descent!

Gear

  • 60m rope
  • #0.3-2 with double 0.5-1
  • Nuts
  • Many single and double alpine draws (sometimes wrapping chickenheads)
  • NO walkie talkies (only one report of poor comms at the top)

Approach

1.3 miles, 900 ft gain, estimated 1 hour. Take the approach trail to where it meets the dome at Absinthe of Mallet. Follow a trail left, contouring around the dome and working up until reaching the 1st pitch ramp/dihedral (see picture). Note that you can’t see the 1st belay bolts from the ground.

P1

Up the dihedral until a bolt leads out left, then up to a bolted belay. This pitch looks super-easy from the ground but is surprisingly harder than it looks. Gear: small to 3″.

  • Start of P1
  • End of P1

P2

Move left for a move or 2, then up past bolts & small cams.Then climb up and right to a bolted belay just left of the gully. Do not go all the way to the gully. Gear: a few small-medium-ish cams.

  • Start of P2

P3

Follow the tightly bolted line up a slippery slab to a headwall. More bolts take you up and right past the headwall. Run it out a bit on giant holds to a bolted belay amid the huge chickenheads. It is possible to get some gear by slinging chickenheads and/or large nuts/hexes between the plates. Gear: a couple big nuts/hexes and some long runners.

  • Start of P3
  • P3

P4

Climb straight up past more chickenheads, then up and right past bolts to a large ledge & comfy, bolted belay. Gear: 1 or 2 large slings or cord to wrap chickenheads.

  • Start of P4
  • P4
  • End of P4

P5 (TTTD 5.8 variation)

For a much better option, finish on on Too Tough To Die, which goes at 5.8. To do this, follow bolts up from the belay to a huge chickenhead. Surmount this, then climb up and right past bolts on an exposed slab to the top. Gear: an optional large nut/hex for the big chickenhead.

  • P5 TTTD
  • Near top of P5

P5 (Original Chimney)

The regular route follows the large chimney on your right up to the top (the original finish for Absinthe).

  • P5 chimney

Descent

Walk off toward the north and then back around down the gully back to the base. 0.3 miles, 500 ft descent.