Arc of a Diver is on our list of hidden gems, but I'd never been on it until Saturday. What a nice route! Some good face climbing up to the GT ledge, with one very cool sequence above a fixed pin (which can be backed up).

Then a very short crux pitch to the top, the crux being a corner roof problem. Very good gear.

You pretty much have to do it in 3 pitches, there's a ledge along the way that was giving me enough rope drag that I stopped about 40 feet below the GT, at a stance. (I'm not sure doubles would make any difference.)

That turned out to be a good place, by the way, because it meant there was no rope drag at all, and complete line-of-sight for me and my partner for the tricky climbing near the pin (probably 5.8, by the way; comparable to Walter Mitty).

I belayed right after the roof to be able to see my partner, who I was pretty sure wouldn't get the roof clean (I was right). From there, the scramble to the woods isn't trivial, though she did it without gear and without complaint. Be careful up there, or place gear.

We did the route with one rope and walked off.

If you're breaking into harder roofs, this route is a great step along the way. Much easier than p2 of MF, and much much easier than Jean.

It should be noted - I think the g/b lists P2 as 5.7, and it felt much harder and more PG than most 5.7 routes. I remember following it and thinking I wouldn't have been happy as a 5.7 leader trying to swing a lead on it.

I agree with Steven and Julie, the climbing on the middle portion of this route is thoughtful. But I don't recall having any great concerns about protection, so I'm not sure about Julie's suggestion for a PG rating.

The last pitch has the best climbing, in my opinion. I needed two trips up there before I figured out how to pry myself high enough into the corner to reach secure holds above the roof, a problem a taller climber might not have. Either way, it's a very good pitch.

I remember the gear being a little spacey around the pin (thus the existence of a pin there), I but was following Scott, who is very comfortable on 5.7. He may have either skipped something, or run out of a size of gear, since he went to the GT in one pitch.

I'd agree with the roof move having a reach component to it ... I was going to say something about that before, but I'm trying to wean myself away from height complaints

Suggested combo: do the first (2) pitche(s) of Trusty Rifle to the GT. Or Bloody Bush.

From the big rap tree, go as far left as you reasonably can, maybe 30 or 40 feet, to set of trees. Arc of a Diver ramps leftwards up grass/choss from there, towards a right-facing corner system with a roof in it.

Well, it's definitely PG. With your feet at the level of the pin, you still have to make another move before getting any gear. It's not hard, and the fall wouldn't be so terrible, so I don't know that I'd call it very PG.

I was going to mention that the last pitch is a bit height related, but I don't think shorter people are really shut down by it.

No one is even mentioning the roof I had trouble with. Sheesh. Am I alone in thinking the move over that tiny little overlap on P1 was hard?

I'm with Julie on P2. I followed someone and therefore found it to be straightforward and pretty 5.7. I thought the PG-ness had something to do with poor rock quality though?

Hey, thanks for the info, Steven. Arc of a Diver is one of the very few Gunks 5.9's I've never done. I'm putting it near the top of my to-do list.