Iron Man, 5.8+, 2 Pitches

Overview/Approach

Iron Man is my least favorite route that I have climbed on the south face of Exit Dome, but still worth doing if you are there.  It felt contrived from the first pitch climbing Ladies Man’s first four bolts, bowing out right on boring face and then crossing Ladies Man at the top of its first pitch anchor and then finishing on Ladies Man’s 2^nd pitch corner to the fixed rap.  The corner climbing up from the anchor plus a fun roof pull, does make the 2^nd pitch worth climbing.  Fixed rap hangers are at the top of the wall.  All of the routes on this wall are multi pitch.  Both MP.com and the local guide, as of 2023, reference you need double ropes to rap these routes.  However, a competent team can get down all of these routes more efficiently with a 70m rope which would also assist with combining upper pitches on the three pitch routes.

There are conflicting opinions on the best approach option to Exit Dome routes in the guide and on MP.com.  The best way to approach all of the Exit Dome routes is simply to head into the canyon as you would for Entrance Dome, which means you will be leaving the wash early to start following cairns up and right as though you were heading for the SE facing Entrance Dome routes, i.e., Full Circle.  Approximately 100’ before you reach Full Circle (the base of Entrance Dome’s SE face) traverse left at the top of a gully and follow intermittent cairns (2023) west as you circumvent Entrance Dome.  The trick is not to be sucked to high as you traverse through brush, but also not to lose any elevation.  Eventually several small fins of rock start to protrude.  Gain the top of these slick rock opportunities to avoid brush and make it to a cave like atmosphere created by a very large fin of rock laying at the center of the south face of Exit Dome.  Iron Man, Ladies Man and Sole Man all start here.  There is one bolt line to the east that is Maintenance Man, which is not a worthy route.  Iron Man and Ladies Man share the same fixed rap stations. When climbing Sole Man, which is a three-pitch route, you can rap west into a gully formed by the massive fin below and climb Grain Surgery, JenEric Stain, Trigger Happy and Cave Man which all share the same top rap station with Sole Man.  When finished, you can rap back to the start of Ladies Man, Sole Man and Iron Man where it is best to leave your packs.   

Route Description

1^st Pitch- 110’-5.8+/ Start up Ladies Man, just to the right of the big fin and behind an oak tree.  Clip four bolts on Ladies Man, and then leave that line for bolts to angle up and right.  Eventually it comes back left and tops out on the same narrow ledge of Ladies Man with a fixed rap below the broad water streak.

2^nd Pitch- 125’-5.8/ Climb the obvious right facing corner which for some reason is bolted.  You can of course easily supplement the bolts with gear in the corner.  Pull the small roof and start to trend back up and right to finish on Ladies Man where you can make two gear placements along with another bolt and one slung horn to the shared rap stance above.

Descent

A 70m handled by a competent climber will get you down in two raps.  Double 60m ropes will not get you down to the ground from the top anchor, but will get you close enough to put a draw on a bolt of the next route you are climbing and just rap from there for the competent and efficient pair.

Essential Gear

70m rope.  Dozen draw/sling mix.  A few cams, small to medium.  Route gets full sun.  Hiking poles for the approach are recommended.