Becky Route – Andrew's Hikes

Time estimates

Total: 5 hours car-to-car?
Approach: 40 mins
Climb: 2.5 hours
Descent: ~60 mins?

Gear

70m rope? Last 4th class pitch might need it?
Doubles #0.3-3, optional 0.2. No need for #4 unless you struggle with 5.7 offwidth.
Nuts
~6 alpine draws
~1 double alpine draw
~4 sport draws
I think you CAN leave gear at the base, descent brings you right next to it

Approach

0.85 miles, 962 ft gain, ~40 minutes.

Park at the pullout on the left when driving up the road (36.58862, -118.23324) (Google Maps link).

Walk up the road for 30 seconds, and then take the dirt road on the right before the switchback. Follow that dirt road on a long switchback heading East and then back West (idk if could cut straight up at all to cut the switchback? The track I had did the long switchback). Eventually the trail gets steeper as it gets close to the cliffs and goes up some steeper kitty litter.

Overview

According to Steph Abegg: “The Beckey Route is a 5-star classic for the grade, climbing cracks, knobs, and dikes up a sparkling white buttress. Fun in the sun! This was the best day of our Whitney Portal trip, for enjoyability of the climbing and number of pitches.”

P1 – 5.7, ~150′

Start in the right facing corner, climb it to the top, traverse left, then straight up through a few shrubs to a left facing corner. Climb that corner up to a ledge about 40′ below a triangular roof. Belay off a tree and flake.

P2 – 5.9, ~125′?

Climb up and right to an arete with nice jams and gear to a wild roof move (lieback) and another 30 or so feet to a gear belay in the vertical crack up and slightly right (.75-1″ cams)… do not belay from flake lower down or get suckered into going out left, the line goes straight up.

P3 – 5.8, ~100′?

Crack comes and go and with it a little run-out. Fun, techy climbing. A welcome fixed piton and more moves leads to a bolted belay out LEFT (left of the fixed piton, above a sloping ledge).

P4 – 5.8, ~150′?

Follow fins straight up. Bolts are hard to see looking up from the belay but they’re there. (For some reason, someone put a bolt right where there’s some good gear. Nice 3/4 placement) Follow up (more bolts?) to a belay at the bottom of a large crack (2-3″ pieces).