SUMMARY HAIKU

This one is SPICY!
It's not like Johnny Vegas
Got caught in a hail storm

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Climb: Beulah's Arete (Trad) (5.7)(445')
Wall: Solar Slab - Lower Tier
Beginner Lead: No
Pro: To 3" - small cams, micros, lots of nuts and tricams
Conclusion WTF? What the FEISTY!

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In Mountain Project William Thiry's February 21, 2021 comments said, "Comparable in quality, difficulty and length to Johnny Vegas..." Rick and I were excited to do this climb based upon that description because we both really enjoyed Johnny Vegas!

Although there was some runout on Johnny Vegas, it was on easy terrain. There was no point on Johnny Vegas where it felt "intense" or I was "concerned," the climbing was easy and mostly well protected. That was not the case for Beulah's Arete. 

Beulah's Arete has consequential run out (i.e. decking potential) on not-that-easy terrain. It also zig zags around on pitches 2 and 3 making rope drag a bitch.

​I even tried to reduce rope drag by alternating my twin ropes and using long runners. (We climbed with twin 60s to maximize the efficiency of the rappel down Solar Slab Gully.) It's not a bad climb, in fact the rock is good (thankfully), it has some variety, the arete section on Pitch 2 is neat, it's just not a cruiser walk in the park, so do not go in expecting that. I would not recommend this climb for a new trad leader. ​

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Pitch 1 - 110 feet

There is intermittent protection with this pitch with some consequential runout (i.e. decking potential with falls.) Some list this as 5.6 but I don't think any of the pitches are 5.6, they are solid old school-style 5.7 or even in the 5.8/5.9 range in spots (not easy 5.7 like Johnny Vegas). 

My first piece (you can see it in the photo) is about 20+ feet up and it is the only place for pro. You can sneak something in on the ledge (where I am about to stand up on) which will help protect from having a bigger fall after bouncing on the ledge if you eat it before you reach the bolt on the next face (about 55-feet up). I was happy for this bolt.

At the second ledge (large) you will see a two-bolt anchor off to the right. That is the anchor for Beulah's Book and it is not advised to use it, as it won't set up the rope well for the leader on pitch 2 (rope drag is already a problem towards the top, this anchor would likely add more rope drag).

I built an anchor on the large ledge (to climber's left of the Beulah's Book anchor) to set up a direct shot up the arete on the next pitch.

Belaying from the large ledge is also probably more comfortable than the bolted anchor.

Stefani Dawn leading pitch 1 of Beulah's Arete.

Pitch 2 - 135 feet

The photo to the right shows where I built the anchor at the top of P1. I tried to go high, making this a little awkward and tricky to build. There are more options a little lower that are actually easier to access and belay from. 

Other than clipping one of the pieces in the anchor, the next piece of pro is a bolt about 20+ feet up. It's not super "cruiser" climbing to get there. It eases up a little bit to get to the next bolt, another 15+ feet up. There is a third bolt, that I did not use, because I found good gear off to the left side of the arete. Clipping the third bolt would have forced me to stay on the face and I wanted to climb the edge of the arete - which was probably the funnest part of the climb!

There is a two bolt anchor further up, which I clipped one bolt and skipped. Because pitch 3 is so long, I wanted to get to the bolted anchor that is at the top of Beulah's Book pitch 2. 

You have to curve right across the rock to get to the anchors. I used a bunch of nuts and tricams on this pitch. Rope drag was getting bad by the time I reached the anchors. 

Stefani Dawn leading pitch 2 of Beulah's Arete. The first bolt is about where she is in the photo. We built an anchor to allow a direct line up the arete to minimize rope drag. Rope drag can become a problem because this pitch is long and curves up right.

Pitch 3 - 200 feet

This pitch shares the same pitch 3 with Beulah's Book.

Clip one of the anchor bolts then clip the single bolt about another 8-10 feet up. That is about all the solid pro you will get for a while (you may be able to get a janky nut in somewhere or a tiny cam... if you zig zag and really search...)

The entire pitch is slabby with occasional balls and lips for toes or a pinch. One comment on the Mountain Project description for Beulah's Book calls this pitch a 5.5 - maybe after the first 40 feet it is. The first 40 feet was surprisingly heady and was not a gimmie. 

The goal if this pitch is to keep angling right as you go up. There are a couple small vertical faces, bit mostly go up the weaknesses. Be sure to extend slings to minimize rope drag - the slab grabs onto that rope!

​ Because I was climbing with twins, I alternated clipping my ropes to try to minimize the drag. Even so, I was cussing up a storm trying to get to those damn anchors. 

Pitch 3 of Beulah's Arete is shared with Beulah's Book. The clipped bolt you see in the photo is about 8-10 feet above the bolted anchor - finding reliable pro above this point is challenging for another 30-40 feet... you might be able to find a creative nut slot in a horizontal, but not much leaves you with confidence. Keep angling right with occasional vertical spurts in weaknesses.

Speaking of a storm, rain was predicted for the afternoon and I could see clouds building behind us towards Mt. Charleston - I could also hear rumbling. The pressure was on to finish and get down. 

There is a set of bolted anchors on Johnny Vegas, but those were too far right to access. Keep going up the now lower grade slab to reach a set of  bolted anchors just below where there is a large boulder and the rock starts flattening off. Have the follower continue past the anchors and get to the flat spot adjacent to the large boulder. The follower can do a quick short rope belay for safety. 

The Decent

Go around the climber's left side of the large boulder and look for a set of bolted anchors on a vertical wall beneath/next to the boulder. This requires two ropes to rappel - taking you into Solar Slab gully. If you don't have two ropes you will need to go up past the boulder to solar slab ledge and locate the solar slab gully rappel. (See our description for the Tan Line descent. Note that Tan Line comes in from the other side on Soalr Slab ledge.)

For details on this 2-rope rappel descent down the gully see the topo above and read our descent description in Johnny Vegas.