Seal Rock

East Face South Side II, F5

We climbed this route one time. After assessing all the starting points, we both agreed that the start of the south side looked appealing. A crack following along a giant dihedral before stepping out onto the face was very sport route looking. This first pitch would be best lead with double nine's, as the traverse left, to the face, causes a bend (a longer sling was less desirable as a pendulum fall would swing you into the dihedral face). Non the less, a nice break in the typical face climbing. I do remember we found two bolts to rappel down the face near the top, but we chose to loop our rope around a horn formation of sorts and rappelled that way, as was our custom. We never found a second bolt to rappel, so we looped another feature. This is one of those climbs that you hope the information is good, "walking off" any formation is akin to downclimbing. Approaching the ascending point you feel like you are approaching the edge of a massive drop off. One of many prayer inducing moments alpine climbing offers.