Though it sees less traffic than its more moderate neighbors, Ventilator should definitely be on your to do list. It is a challenging, slabby climb that seems to have gotten more challenging over the years as useful holds have crumbled off, but overall the rock is nice the moves are fun and the pro is good. Well...except getting to that first bolt, that can be a bit scary. Basically, you have to do some cruxy climbing to gain the first bolt with a little ledge beneath you. Keep your head together and you will be fine.  

  Basically, you climb the first pitch of Bombardment, which is 5.6R, to a small ledge. Step about 10-15 feet right (place a few pieces in a crack on your way) until you are under the first bolt (an old but solid ring bolt). Just follow the bolts up the slab, then break right to a short crack and in to a gully which is followed to the tree ledge below the Barber Wall.

Ventilator

Ego Trip

King Crab (Girdle Traverse of Cathedral Ledge)

Fun House

Ventilated Western Girl

Age Before Beauty

Pooh

Fisting Jon (AKA Leafspring)

Three Birches

Son Of A Birch

The Effects of Kind Bud on an Abnormal Brain

Once Upon A Climb

Western Lady/ California Girls

Happy Trails

Fun House Left

Starfire  (Yo-Yo)

Pleasant St.

One Hit To The Body

Bombardment

The crux is at the end. Very good high quality climbing. Tom fell on THE LAST move, a big whipper but safe. I'll give him the F/A 'cause he also onsighted California Girls in the process.

I gave the route 3 stars. Keep in mind that only applies to folks who like hard slab climbing. Then again, if you don't like hard slab, then you need to find another route. 

  Pitch 1: (5.10 b/c) Climb up the smooth face past a bolt. Optional protection between this and the next 2 bolts (I guess there is a place for a pink tricam, but I've not used it). This pitch is fun all on its own, and works well to get to the ledge where you can link up with a few other routes. Belay from the anchor just left and up from the pine tree. 

  Pitch 2: (5.11c) Slab/thin face climbing. Think friction, you will need it. Not recommended on a hot day. 

  From the anchor, take a few steps right and start up the smooth slab. This part was much harder than I thought it would be. Climb using dime edges and crazy body tension past bolts towards the small overlap above (crux). At the crux overlap, there is an OK rest but not much. Then try to find your way over or around this feature. I tried to go left where it was cleaner and fell a few times. My partner went a little right where it was kinda dirty and made it nice and clean. Bottom line is that the sequence is not obvious. After this, head up angling slightly right up the relentless steep slab. I remember only one "real" rest, balancing on a small foot hold crimp. Continue up to the big ledge and belay from a tree. 

  Typing this brings back happy nightmares.... 

  The pitch is 130 feet with 13 bolts, so though it's not a crazy runout by slab standards, it isn't too sporty either.

Note. The first part of the traverse from Pleasant Street to Standard Route was climbed earlier by Paul Ross and Dave Cilley in 1972.This Traverse takes a different line to the right to left girdle of The Big Plum.The FA of the left to right King Crab took about 18 hours.If rappels are counted the climb will be close to 3000'. 

  Climb Pleasant Street to the tree covered ledge 150'5.7.    Scramble right along the ledge to the ramp of Upper Refuse   Climb the first pitch of Upper Refuse. (80' 5.3)   Continue traversing from the belay ledge to reach belay of Woman in Love. Climb up and right into the Beast Flake.Go up the Beast Flake to its top then make an awkward traverse into Recompense. Follow Recompenseto the belay below the final corner. 100' 5.9   Climb the crux of Recompense to the rest then move right into the corner of Gypsy.Step right to the belay above the roof of The Prow. 70' 5.9   Make a wild 150' rappel into the Big Flush.   From the other side of the Big Flush traverse horizontally right to the belay above pitch 1 of Thin Air.   Follow The Thin Air Traverse all the way to the cave on Standard Route.5.6.   Down climb Standard Route to belay top of the first pitch of this route close to the the long dike of Diagonal .   Climb the long dike of Diagonal to the belay below the crux buldge. 160'5.4.   Rap and tension down to the long clean thin ledge (the Sidewalk)Move along the ledge to belay under the Pendulum Roof.   Climb up to the roof,then traverse right to the tree at the base of The Bridge.   Travers right to a pin ,then rappel 40'to a ledge with a tree.  Then rappel 150' to a tree at the top of pitch 2 of Pendulum.   Traverse down the ledge on the right passing Option 9A and continue traversing to reach Bonfire Ledge.   Continue up pitch 3 of Intimidation, stepping right to reach Antline Ledge.5.10a.   Make a difficult rappel down and right to the top of pitch 1 Abrakadabra.   Traverse right across the sloping ledge then up a hand crack which slants right into Repentance.   Continue up Repentance for a pitch and a half.Once over the final chockstane go right over slabs and belay at a tree.   Rappel down and right into Warlock and belay on an anchor at the right end of the sloping ledge above the crux corner of Warlock.   Do a diagonal rappel about 70' to the anchor  of The British are Coming.   Move right to some ledges at the top of Dont Fire and from the right end of the ledge climb the thin crack above (5.10)to the small ledge at the top of The Wez.   Make strenious (10a) hand traverse right to reach Diedre at the top of the birch tree corner.   Follow pitch 4 of Diedre to the big terrace and belay at its right end.    Hand traverse (10a) to a ledge . Traverse right on slabs and ledges to a corner.    Climb the corner to the top .   Then off to the pub for a well deserved pint.

An obscure 5.8 on the far right end of the Lower Wall that leads up to the Upper Refuse Ledge. This one is not obvious from below which is probably why it so quickly fell into obscurity, I didn’t even know where it was until I stumbled upon it by accident in the guidebook. Orc has 2 independent and adventurous 5.8 pitches, and shares the last one with Pooh 5.8+. The route has accumulated a good bit of dirt and lichen, especially on the first pitch, so do Three Birches and Pooh first if you haven’t done them, but if you’re like me and you’re simply running out of 8s on this cliff, here’s one more for you.Pitch 1: Start to the right of Pooh, at the base of a big dirty corner below an obvious roof. Climb the right facing corner up to a serious of ledges. You could link into the next pitch, but for the sake of rope drag and communication, it's easier to build a gear belay on the second ledge below the roof.  50' 5.7 *An alternate first pitch climbs a corner to the right at a more consistent 5.8.*Pitch 2: From the ledge, move up into a weakness in the roofs above. Pull through the weakness (crux, awkward) to a crack above. Much like the other routes on this wall, once past the crux you follow low angle cracks up to the belay, a gear anchor on a nice big ledge (same belay as Pooh P2). 60' 5.8Pitch 3: This is where you join Pooh 5.8+. Climb a steep crack off the ledge, then make an awkward move to gain lower angle ground. Climb the low angle crack into lichen and pine needles above (not as scary as it sounds) until you reach the trail to Upper Refuse, belay from a tree. 70' 5.8From here you can continue up Upper Refuse, or for more 5.8 awkwardness, do Black Lung to Final Gesture. 

This is a very popular route as a first Cathedral climb...It can be very busy on weekends and should be avoided at these times if you don't like crowds (and who does?)....   One of the things that makes Fun House a great beginner route is that the climbing is challenging but well-protected and not too exposed...It has tree cover much of the way and that makes folk feel more comfortable.... 

  Pitch 1: Climb the corner past a pin...Stemming and using really nice holds.... Mantel and climb the next corner section break left slightly to a crack, a tricky move puts you on a very brief slab and on to a very nice ledge where you belay from trees.... 

  Pitch two: From the ledge, easy climbing will put you on another nice ledge.... Climb the short corner to a few cracks, climb the cracks ranging from fingers to wide hands to yet another ledge....   Continue up cracks until you can break right to a ledge and belay at a cluster of trees.... 

  From here, choose your way to the tree ledge...The normal finish from here is Upper Refuse (5.5) or you could do any number of other great routes at harder grades than 5.7....

This has been mentioned as a direct start for Bombardment and as a more fitting start to Ventilator. Really it's short but it's kind of its own route, link it up how you choose. Pretty good but a little short. 

  Start as for bombardment but rather than going hard right to the Pleasent St slab go straight up past three obvious bolts on a steep fairly blank slab. I called it 10a cause it's like the climbing on Ventalator and The Book which seem to be standards in the grade for Cathedral. Turns out it's 5.9 in the new book, sounds fine to me.

The popular opinion and the original line differ on this on... From what I've gathered pooh originally traversed left after the first pitch in to what we now call Fun House (5.7), which is historically called Fun House to Pooh... The newest guide book list the direct version of Pooh which is the popular way to do the route these days, this line borrowed from other routes to make a direct line and avoid traffic jams on "Fun House to Pooh"... Any feedback on this history is welcomed... 

  Pitch one:(5.7+) Start just right of Fun House up the hand/fist crack to a ledge walk right to where there is a large chock stone stuck in the chimney... this is the crux of this pitch, find the hidden holds and it will go at 5.7+ if you don't find the right holds it seems harder... pull up in to the chimney and follow a crack to the belay ledge...Belay from gear... 

  Pitch 2: (5.8++) This pitch seems very hard for the grade and could be sketchy to fall on due to the ledge below you... I'd say be very careful if you aren't a solid 5.9 leader... Basically do a boulder problem off the ledge to gain a crack that isn't as good as it looks (protect well) then a sandy mantel move on to the "Ballroom ledge"... belay from here on gear... 

  Pitch 3:(5.8) Step right about 10 feet and up a slightly awkward face/crack section which gets easier as it goes... Until you are scrambling up to the big tree ledge... Belay from trees... 

  This is a fun climb but id like to be clear that i find the crux stiff in the grade and a bit sketchy if care is not taken to protect from ledge fall...

If you like grainy 45 degree overhanging offwidth/squeeze chimney's, then this is your route.  Chimney up left side in until you can turn and set yourself up to pull the lip.  Once acomplished you get 60 feet of fun .3ish climbing up a nice if dirty handcrack.

A nice climb, stout in the grade...    Very aesthetic...   Pitch 1: Follow the arch up and right (harder than it looks). Focus on foot work though the feet are slick from wear (this section can be wet too, joy).... After the arch, follow cracks to a clump of trees belay from trees or build an anchor in the cracks....   Pitch 2: Continues up thin cracks to gain a huge layback offwidth flake.... Follow the flake up to a left-facing corner.... Climb the corner and mantel (a little tricky, look for less than obvious pockets).... From here, climb slabs, then exit right to a cluster of trees to belay (same finish as Fun House (5.7).... Easy climbing to the Barber Wall ledge....

I'll skip the ethics around this one since after 25 years, not many people still care and what remains is a very classic and tough route. Awesome pebble climbing on a steep black wall with minimal protection.

A botanists dream, for everyone else, not so much? 

  Just left of Pleasant Street is a triangular, vertical wall.  Walk around the corner at it's left end, and at the lowest point start up an obvious bear-hug flake to a second similar flake.  Move slightly right, keeping a 3" dia tree on your left, then saunter up the numerous slabs mixed with ledges above keeping as close as possible to the arete on the right.

The rightmost of the trifecta of thin slab climbs on the lower left wall, Ego Trip, Starfire, and This one. Delicate smearing and thin crimps on the second pitch. The definition of insecure. Pitch 1 could make for a fun single pitch route if you are waiting for another climb on this wall. The route can be located left of the 3 birches arch, and immediately right of the large tree. Look for a bolt ~10' off the ground. 

  Pitch 1: Just left of 3 Birches is a small foot ramp leading to a bolt. Scramble up this and clip the bolt. Make a hard move to good holds and continue into the corner. Place the only piece on the route in this corner, or, if you trust them, clip the pins. Move easily up to the second bolt. At this bolt, make a hard slab move (crux) and continue to the two bolt belay. 5.9 40' 

  Pitch2: Easily climb right off of the belay and clip the first bolt. Make a hard slab move past this and continue up the face clipping 6 more bolts. All but one of these were drilled free and on the lead! The crux comes after the small overlap were the pitch steepens. There are actually small holds on this face, but it feels like a slab climb. 

     Clip the last bolt and join starfire, at the right angling  finger crack (the most fun part of the climb!) The crack ends in a dirty corner that you can take the the ledge and a tree anchor. 5.11c 120'

Hard slab climbing with a nice fall potential. Just right of Bombardment, work up a seam to the first bolt, step right then back left to the second bolt. (California Girls goes up from here)scoot r along a seam to safety.Really good rock. though the fall from the direct can be long, it is safe.

This is really a finish variation for pleasant st...When i read the description for Pleasant st it said to climb the arch till it was possible to continue up through it... So i accidentally climbed this route instead of that one... It should have said follow the arch till it is really easy to continue up over it... 

  Pitch one: 5.6R Same as Pleasant St... Climb the run out dike to the nice ledge... 

  Pitch 2: 5.8 Climb the first half of pitch 2 of Pleasant St... Look for a dike heading up through the arch with a pin about 15 feet up... Climb crimpy fun moves to some good holds and get some OK gear before getting to the OK pin... Continue up the dike with no more gear on better holds and over to the tree above Bombardment 5.8... 

  Could use a little traffic of a brushing to get it cleaned up... But its very nice...

There is an art to avoiding the crowds on a busy day at Cathedral.... This alternate start to Fun House helps get you some mileage without having to crank too hard.... Most people who do Fun House actually do the Fun House to Pooh link up.... By combining Fun House Left(5.8) with the original finish to Fun House(5.7), you can often cruise past the crowds and get on to the midway ledge where you have many choices of where to go.... You can also head left to Three Birches (5.8) after doing the left start, but now I must tell you about the climb itself.... 

  I love this start, the jamming is so nice...It can feel hard until you figure it out, the stemming is the key to making it feel easy...Just follow the nice corner/crack until you can make a move left and head up to the belay on Fun House.... 

  Good times, good times....

Sustained face climbing up a beautiful slab to a finger crack.

 P.1 Up shallow left facing flake past two pitons up towards a large pine tree. 5.8 60'

 P.2 Face climb right past 5 bolts to a right slanting finger crack and onto Three Birches. 5.11b 120'

Bombardment is clearly the first choice of moderates on this far left end... However if you have done that route enough times you might be looking for something new... This route is a great change of pace... Similar in style and a little easier in grade.... Not a hard line to find, just look for the big arch to the left of bombardment with a layback/jam crack in its corner... 

  Pitch one: 5.6 R A bit of a spook show for a new leader... Start up the crack to the small ledge at the far left end of the Lower Left wall... Climb up and right getting a piece in a horizontal crack before heading in to the unprotected section... Traverse right on to the slab till you get to a thin (and helpful) dike... Many people have a hard time cause they dont go far enough right... Make sure you find the dike... If you stay relaxed the climbing is a breeze... Climb to the nice ledge and belay at cracks or the (dying) tree, careful... I like to continue and do it in one long pitch... 

  Pitch 2: 5.7 Climb the arch, laying back and jamming with all the nice placements you dreamt about on pitch one... Continue on the arch till you get to the easy dike on the left... Head up then traverse right to the tree atop Bombardment...

I don't know how we found this one. A very different route for Cathedral- pockets. The first pitch is the  small rib right of 3 birches- sweet climbing but no gear 9+x. P2 up to a bolt then right on pockets to a tough bolted bulge, up to a good ledge. P3 interesting moves up to and past a bolt and thin crack 5.10. finish left (we joined Orc but it's not worth it)

Bombardment shares p1 with Pleasant Street, a quick test of wits on a wandering, run-out 5.6 slab that terminates at a large ant-eaten oak on a slanting ledge below an overlap. Start p2 by stepping up and right over the overlap. The p2 crack climbing is an easily protected and fun place to learn jams and ween yourself off of the plentiful face features for footholds.

The Lower Left Wall has everything from easy starter climbs (Fun House 5.7)  to some hard scary slab climbing (Repo Man 5.11dX) and many choices in between. Routes in this section can get crowded on a weekend with multiple parties on Bombardment (5.8), Fun House (5.7), and beginner parties suckered in to the stout but fun (if 5.8 is not your limit) Three Birches (5.8+). However the better I get to know this cliff the more I learn to get around the crowds and I always find a way to the midway ledge without waiting in line or crossing too many ropes. 

  Though many of the routes have cracks on them you will find most of the climbing depends on your feet and requires some slab technique.  On the routes that dont have cracks expect extreme slab climbing for the most part, Ego Trip (5.11c) among others offer you good protection while pushing the limits of your slab prowess.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Lower Left Wall / Ventilator Slabs