Charm School Boutique, repeat. Between The Journey Home and The Cruise on North Chasm View Wall, Jeff Achey found an improbable line called Charm School Boutique (5.12 A2+; AAJ 2004, pp. 180-181). In May, Steve Monks and I free-climbed it, with the aid pitch going at dicey 5.13-. Steve aided the pitch first and left the gear in place. After playing around on top-rope, I led it free. It could be done placing the gear, but not by me that day. Both of the hard pitches are gear intensive, with hand-placed beaks or crack‘n ups helpful on the 5.12 pitch, and the crux has mandatory 5.13-above a #2 RP.

A direct start from the Dylan Wall, a four-pitch 5.12-that leads to the beginning of the Charm School, has yet to be done. To link the two routes and place the gear at the crux would be a mighty day.

Topher Donahue