The Delicate Sound of Thunder
5.11b trad · 2 pitches · 200 ft · ★★★★
Route 22 of 29 from left to right on North Face, with Wholesome Fullback on its left and Our Father on its right. North Face has 29 routes, from 5.8 to 5.12a/b; 6 are harder, and 1 other is the same grade.
First ascent: Dave Wonderly, Marge Floyd, & Dave Evans - 1988
Description
One of my favorite short trad climbs of all time! Two excellent pitches are different in character but both technical and delicate. Not nearly as scary as the guide makes it out to be. Start on the front of the Our Father/Wholesome Fullback pinnacle at a thin crack and face.
Protection
Mostly small gear including a set of RP's. Quickdraws.
Access
The 13-mile Scenic Drive requires a timed-entry reservation October to May and has seasonal gate hours. Calico Basin and Kraft Mountain sit outside the Scenic Drive and need no reservation.
Wet rock: Aztec sandstone loses much of its strength when wet. Do not climb for at least 24 to 48 hours after rain or snowmelt, or holds break off and routes are permanently damaged.
More routes on North Face
- Kenny Laguna 5.10d PG13
- Perplexity 5.10d
- Rain Dance 5.10a
- Closed on Monday 5.10a
- Amber 5.10b
- Bourbon Street 5.8
- Mazatlan 5.10d
- Triassic Sands 5.10
- Sand Felipe 5.10-
- Geriatrics (aka Ben Dover Beelzebub) 5.12-
- Return To Forever 5.10d
- Ixtlan 5.11c
- Tales from the Gripped 5.11c
- Cole Essence 5.11c
- Frogland 5.8
- Quarantine Crack 5.10+
- Open-and-Shut 5.10d
- Desert Wave 5.11b
- Our Father 5.10c/d R
- Bourbon Hangover 5.8+
- Miss Conception 5.10+
- Sandblast 5.10- R
- Archaeopteryx 5.11a R
- Matzoland 5.12a/b
- Only the Good Die Young 5.11b/c
- The Misunderstanding 5.9
- Wholesome Fullback 5.10b
- Canadian Club 5.8