On the east side of the apron a great finger crack ascends in a rightward sloping direction. Easy protection on a moderate angle make this a classic beginners route.

Pitch 1 - (5.5) Go directly up the easy slabs along a left facing dihedral until it is overlapped by a right facing one. Continue up into the crack.

Pitch 2 - (5.6) Follow the crack as it slowly slopes to the right. At one point perfect double finger cracks open up.

Pitch 3 - (5.6) Continue up the crack until it fades out then either go up and left (easier) or go directly to the double bolt anchors across the face (a bit more difficult).

Descend the route by rapping the bolt anchors on The Grack - Marginal (if it is clear). This can be done in two raps with two 60m. Make sure you use the second bolt anchors if attempting to do it in two raps. If Marginal is crowded then you can go to the south (climbers left) and rap off blocks and trees.

*Update As of 2018 There are now bolted rappel anchors allowing for rappel with a single 60m rope, though it is 5 rappels to bottom. You will see them on the slab at climber's right as you ascend the crack system.

The Grack - Center

An easy start leads to a wild and improbable second pitch.

This climb is located immediately left of the Grack Center route.  The best start is  on the very large platform left of the Grack gully/dihedral, because a 60 meter rope won't reach the P1 belay from the bottom of the Grack gully/dihedral (unless you simul-climb 25 feet).

P1 - Shares much of the same crack as the Grack Center.  Head up a gentle left facing dihedral to the bushy eucalyptus tree with slings & rappel rings.  Traverse one move right into a crack about 50 feet before the tree (5.6), or head directly to the tree and straight up a jagged hand crack (5.5).  190 feet.

P2  Gently climb through the eucalyptus tree and up a steep/slightly overhanging left facing dihedral (5.7).  A final tricky mantel move, which will definitely get your attention, gets you out of the dihedral and onto 4th class terrain.  Head up and right to a large block with runners for the belay.  140 feet.

The Grack - Left Side

Face climb up and left and then back around right to a two bolt station.  Easy climbing leads up the left side of The Calf to a rap station.

Jack the Zipper

Great single pitch route. The crux comes after the 2nd bolt. A little runout after that, but on easier ground.

Dead Baby

Climb up the first pitch 30 feet right of the cow center on thin cracks.  The second pitch is really cool in the obvious left-facing dihedral.  At times pro can be sparse so be confident on 5.7

The Cow-Right Side

This is a run out friction climb which is totally unprotected until the initial (only!) bolt is reached after ~40 feet of 5.7-5.8 friction climbing. The first 2 bolt belay anchor is reached after another 40-50 feet of climbing. The second lead follows a diagonal, shallow water groove upwards to the looming flake where cams can be used to protect the final 5.8 moves around the left edge (liebacks) and the "summit." Rappel the route (2 rappels). Two ropes are needed.

The Cow-Left Side

Named for the brand of milk you could buy at the Village store.  The upper three pitches of this route are pretty fun.  Unfortunately, the second pitch is 5.8 and unprotected.  As Verne put it, 'to keep the riff raff off.'  Luckily, there are a lot of other moderately protected routes on the Apron for those who don't like death leads.

Pitch 1(5.6) - climb a crack or 3rd class to the right to a ledge with a small tree and belay.

Pitch 2(5.8) - friction straight up, with no pro, to a two-bolt belay. Note - it is possible to bypass the first two pitches by climbing in from the Grack Left Side route.

Pitch 3(5.10a)- head straight up to a small ledge then traverse right past two bolts to a small left facing dihedral then climb up to a two-bolt anchor.

Pitch 4(5.10b) - climb up and slightly left past 4 bolts then traverse left(crux) past two bolts to a two-bolt anchor.

Pitch 5(5.10a) - climb up past two bolts to a two-bolt anchor.

Hoppy's Favorite

Another classic Apron Route, but not as good as Tightrope.  There are two variations on the crux pitch(4).  The FA party went left into a right facing dihedral/scoop(5.10c).  One can also head up and right past a single bolt(5.11) to the belay, but this variation is quite runout.

Pitch 1(5.9) - climb the dihedral to a two-bolt belay.  This pitch can be wet after a rain.

Pitch 2(5.7) - continue up the dihedral to a two-bolt belay.

Pitch 3(5.7) - more of the same to a two-bolt belay.

Pitch 4(5.10c or 5.11) - climb up and slightly left past two bolts.  Either head up and left then back right(5.10c, gear) or up and right(5.11, one bolt) to a single piton anchor.

Pitch 5(5.9) - Basically no pro to a single-bolt anchor.  If this bolt hasn't been replaced it is a poorly drilled 1/4" Rawl.

Pitch 6(5.10a) - if you are dumb enough to get this far, climb straight up to a bolt then traverse straight left past another bolt to another single bolt anchor.

A Mother's Lament

Follow the double crack system ~ 120' to a good belay ledge. No fixed anchors. Second lead traverses left and follows the left edge of a large roof-flake system. There are rappel bolts. Need 2 60 meter ropes to descend. There is an intermediate rappel anchor, also bolted.

The Cow-Center Route

Great training for Yosemite runout friction! P1: Climb the easy terrain to the tree (.2). P2: Traverse left, turn the roof (before clipping), then pass three bolts to a horizontal crack (place oposing nuts!) and to the belay (.9). P3: Pass a pin and a bad small cam placement to the ancors. P4: Pass a couple more pins to the anchors of the grack (.9).

The Grack, Marginal

Psychic Energy

4th class to small tree (Grack Marginal belay)traverse right under roof and up right faceing corner to belay . This is left of Grack Right tree.Pitch 2 -climb straight up (gear + 2 bolts)10b then traverse R to 3 bolt Grack R belay Pitch 3-go up and L (.8R) to bolt then up seam (10a) fixed nuts + bolts to small ledge and join Marginal @small ez R facing corner near top.

Grack Wrong

The Bear

This is the archetypal Apron route. Hard climbing and very bold runouts. It is possible to hit the ground from 300' up if you blow the final moves to the belay at the top of pitch 2. The hardest moves are found on the fifth pitch, but they are reasonably well-protected and are more like a boulder problem.

Pitch 1(5.9) - climb past two bolts to a two-bolt anchor.

Pitch 2(5.8+) - basically no pro with some delicate friction for the last 50' to a two-bolt belay. Don't fall.

Pitch 3(5.10b) - head straight up 25' on friction to a bolt then traverse right to a second bolt. Head up past a third bolt to a two-bolt belay.

Pitch 4(5.9) - head up and slightly left past a bolt and several small corners to a two-bolt belay.

Pitch 5(5.11b) - climb past 3 bolts and the bouldery crux to a two-bolt belay.

Pitch 6(5.10c) - a short pitch past two bolts to a two-bolt belay.

Pitch 7(5.11) - climb down and left at the start then up and left past three bolts to the belay. The belay might still be a single, 1/4" bolt. Act accordingly.

Tightrope

starts up and R of Marginal and left of big L facing corner (Hot Tin Roof .9X).scramble up and R (past unknown routes) to a tiny ledge with ant tree.Pitch1-friction climb 10a straight up (6 bolts) to 3 bolt belay under headwall.This belay is R of Grack R belay tree.FA of this pitch is unkown.Pitch 2-3 bolts lead over the headwall 10a then go straight up past 2 bolts to a good tree belay (also used by Grack R and Hot Tin).Pitch 3- climb straight up over the arching roofs at bolt then up gear + bolts in seam .9 to double bolt belay.

Valley Hizeman

Climbed this back in the 70's, it was typical Apron Climbing. Run-out friction slab climbing. Nothing special but good fun if you're there.

Located where you see bolts on the face between Cow Right and Cow Center.

An Udder Way

Ochre Fields

Moderate, 5.7 climbing for 150 feet leads to a ledge with a fir tree. Move to the right end of the ledge and surmount a small overhang, clipping one of the few bolts on the route to protect 5.9 climbing up and left to a long dihedral ending on the ledge the first ascensionists named Good Friday. From Good Friday, poorly protected 5.9 climbing continues up and right to a small ledge; from here more sparsely protected friction climbing trending slightly left leads to the top of the Grack. Descend by rappeling over Marginal, using two 50 meter ropes.

This climb might deserve an "X" rating, but I only gave it "R," due to the low angle and slick rock.

The Grack, Right Side

Interesting short thin crack that leads to a belay station on a ledge.

Transistor Sister

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Description

Location

Protection

Routes in 3. The Grack Area