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Mainliner is perhaps the best multi-pitch 5.9 at Lumpy Ridge and for sure the most popular. Get there early or wait in line- or better yet, have a plan B as there are more than a dozen other 5.8- 5.9 stellar routes within spitting distance of this one.
Mainliner II+ 5.9-
Sundance Formation, Lumpy Ridge
First Ascent: Michael Covington and Wayne Goss, 1972.
The southwest face of Sundance is one of the finest in the region and Mainliner the jewel within this stunning ring of classic routes on the finest granite.
Description:
Mainliner is a straight forward crack route for it's entirety that sports a stem-box crux followed by a bulging hand crack on some of the best rock at Lumpy Ridge.
This route can be climbed in four long pitches to reach the saddle or stay left for another 60 meters of 5.7 climbing to attain the higher ridge crest of Sundance.
Approach:
From the Lumpy Ridge parking lot, follow the new trail west over the small pass then down to the original parking lot which has been replanted and for a total of 2 miles total to the turn-off which is well signed for the Book, Bookend, and Bookmark formations. Do not follow this trail uphill but instead remain in the meadow slowly contouring up on the trail past another trail junction to the Pear and after 3.5 miles total from the parking lot, and once you are in the forest and have crossed a couple of very small streams, turn uphill where a small sign announces the Sundance trail junction.
Follow this rough trail uphill until you are near the cliff ( 30 minutes on the hill, 1:15 total from the car) and then take forks up and left through a steeper, loose section below the cliff. Once it starts to flatten out again at the base of the rock, Mainliner is about 30 yards to the west.
Pitch 1
The initial move off of the ground, if starting in the far right corner (bit water polished) is solid 5.9 and a great way to get started. Move back left after this hurdle and follow the cleanest cracks up into a large left-facing dihedral which is jammed some and avoided by face climbing to the left as well.
Climber taking the alternative start to Mainliner with the usual 5.8 first pitch in green
Pitch 2
From the small stance next to the left-leaning crack system under a small overlap, climb up the lower angle crystal face until a crack diagonals back right. At the top of the this crack, a stem-box appears that can be face climbed, laybacked, or stemmed to surmount to a nice series of ledge systems. (100')
Just above the anchor on pitch 2
Coming out of the crux 5.9 stem box on the second pitch
Pitch 3
The crux hand crack is above the roomy belay stance on the tiered ledge and although it is short, it packs a punch for 20' of strenuous though well protected crack climbing. Above this straight-in crack, a short left-facing dihedral is encountered and above it some loose blocks which lead to a sloping ledge on the right. (90')
The crux hand crack of the third pitch
Pitch 4
Layback up the obvious right-facing dihedral until a weakness presents to the left and traverse into a sloping ledge system. Long runners will help with the rope drag on this pitch. Climb up the Osirus-like grooved crack system just left of a big left-facing corner for a full 100' before stepping right onto the edge of a huge ledge system that is the beginning of the descent route.
Stepping out of the initial dihedral at the start of the fourth pitch
Descent
Walk southeast to the lowest point in the saddle and from there rappel off of trees to the left or downclimb the exposed but easy stair-steps into the gulley behind the Sundance Buttress. A trail takes one down along the base of the cliff, around the toe and between the big leaning flake back-up to the base of the route and the descent trail.
The route Mainliner in yellow with the exposed descent in red and the approach/descent trails in green.
Gear Beta:
A full double rack of cams up to #3 camalot.
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