Up in Smoke

Up in Smoke

This route is the leftmost line on the Dark Side, the shady north face of the Incredible Hulk. Like its older brother Green Thunder, Up in Smoke stays shady all day, all year, making it a very enjoyable place to climb in the intense heat of summer. In addition to constant shade, this due north aspect of the Hulk receives a small fraction of the prevailing southwest winds which blow over Ice Pass most of the summer season. These common zephyr winds rip across the main west face, plaguing Hulk climbers, and have been the punchline of many an epic tale of surviving the notorious Hulk airstream beating. In over 30 days of climbing on the north side however, there was hardly a single day when the winds were more than breezy, regardless of the strong winds around the corner on the Hulk’s main face. The route is very clean and steep, and the climbing is awesome, with lots of traditionally protected thin cracks and some intense bolted sections. Clocking in at 6 pitches with two 5.13a’s, two 5.12a’s, and two short 5.10a’s, it packs a steep and technical punch! All hail the mighty Hulk!

Pitch Breakdown:

Pitch 1 - 5.10a - Climb 3rd-class ledges to the large, flat ledge where Green Thunder starts on the right side marked by 3 bolts. Up in Smoke starts 25 feet left of GT on the far left side of the same ledge in the somewhat dirty finger crack corner. Climb the corner for 30 feet, then traverse left on easy terrain for 30 feet to belay bolts. 60 feet. All gear.

Pitch 2 - 5.13a - 40 feet of moderate gear-protected crack leads to a clean, tricky, fun dihedral with 8 bolts. Many rests along the way, but the last two bolts are the bouldery crux of the whole route. 120 feet. Starts with gear (small cams through hands) and then 8 bolts.

Pitch 3 - 5.10aR - Go up the easy corner above and left of the belay bolts. After 25 feet traverse right on a 5.9R ramp into the main corner out right. Follow the corner up for 40 more feet to the belay. 100 feet. All gear, long slings.

Pitch 4 - 5.12a - Continue up the corner on fun, thuggy jamming and surmount the roof at the top to gain the belay ledge. All gear.

Pitch 5 - 5.13a - An awesome, technical, and very exposed pitch! A short boulder problem cuts right from the belay, clipping a couple of bolts. After a short section of easier crack with gear, the crack soon peters out into a devious, thin, offset shallow corner with nothing but space below you. Three more bolts and perhaps a thin nut protect the hard climbing. Another 50 feet of gear-protected easier cracks lead to a large comfortable belay ledge. 110 feet. Single rack, a medium stopper, a small RP, and 5 bolts.

Pitch 6 - 5.12a - A very clean splitter corner. Starts with a large flake which soon gets a bit harder, leading to a bolt at the small roof. A hard thin finger move off the bolt leads to 40 feet of stellar finger crack up to the final belay on the farthest left side of the Polish Tower. 100 feet. All gear, doubles on all small cams, stoppers.

All bolted anchors. Route can easily be rappelled with an 80-meter rope, and probably with a 70-meter rope.

The farthest left side of the Hulk. Hike up around past Blowhard and look for the huge, arching, overhanging left-facing corner with a six-inch crack in it—this is the first pitch of Green Thunder. At its base, locate the first 3 bolts of Green Thunder. Follow easy 3rd-class ledges to the starting ledge of GT. Up in Smoke starts 25 feet to the left on the same ledge in a somewhat dirty right-facing corner

Double rack of cams to 2.5 inches, including doubles on all small cams. Only one #3 (blue Camalot). Stoppers and RP nuts useful. 8 quickdraws. Long slings.