The Naked Edge

The Naked Edge is one of the most classic climbs in North America and should be on every trad climber’s list. First climbed by Layton Kor and Bob Culp in 1962 and freed in 1971 by Jim Erickson and Duncan Ferguson.

The first pitch is a classic finger crack that starts just over a metre to the right of the arête. You can stem up to a small rest. After the rest is the 5.11a crux that includes some stems to a small edge. The crack has some great jams that will give you a pump for the final 5.10 move to the anchor.

The second pitch is just as nice and has some spicy moves. You climb five metres of no-pro 5.8 slab to a bolt right of the arête. Then head up another five metres to another bolt and head left around the arête. Follow the crack to a stance and sink a good one-inch cam. The crux is higher up on a shallow sloper. Don’t fall here; you’ll hit the arête pretty hard. Some would say this pitch is R-rated, but you can find RP placements close to the move.

The third pitch is 5.8 and climbs the right side of the arête and wanders around a bit. Extend your pieces to reduce rope drag. Belay at the base of the ramp. The fourth pitch is 5.11b and starts up a right-leaning dihedral with a pin that goes at 5.10c that turns into a chimney. Some have called this the “death pitch” because the piton is so suspect, but you can find a good TCU below the pin. Clip a piton in the chimney below a roof and back it up. Make awkward 5.10+ moves around the roof to a bolted belay. The fifth pitch starts with a 5.11a move up to a ramp. From the ramp, head to the arête up an amazing overhanging hand crack with fixed pro. Slot some cams to protect the second and head into the bomaby chimney. This section is a hard 5.10 and involves hard laybacks to a wider section. The full pitch is solid 5.11b and gives you about 200 metres of air below your feet. The final pitch is 5.6 and gets you to the top.