All Two Obvious  5.11d R

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Type:  Trad, Alpine, 8 pitches, 800 feet Consensus:  5.12a [details] FA:  Davis & Winkelman - 1993 Submitted By:  Josh Janes on Jun 28, 2005 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (12) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

The incredible "half circle" pitch. Joan cranking...

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Description 

All Two Obvious is a great line up the center of Spearhead - the pitches link various features up the wall and for that reason the line is somewhat discontinuous both in terms of direction as well as difficulty. I didn't think it was as good as it's neighbor, Spear Me the Ducktails, but that said, there are some fantastic pitches.

Choose whatever approach pitch you like to get to Middle Earth Ledge and begin just below the left side of the Eye of Mordor.

1: Climb up into a left-facing flake system, undercling left, continue up flakes up and right to a belay ledge just below a 5' long splitter finger crack. 5.9

2: Climb up and right (a good 20' or so right) to another ledge system just below a left-leaning, slightly offset RP seam. This seam is invisible from the previous belay. Note that the guidebook indicates the presence of a pin which is nonexistant. Protect the starting moves with good RP's, then run it out a few feet to more good placements (5.10d with ledgefall potential). Head right on easy ground to a nice ledge and belay at two pins.

3: Climb up and undercling right along the obvious flake, then face climb above to reach another flake system which is followed to a belay stance at right. 5.9 s

4: Continue up the right-facing shallow flake system that becomes a flaring slot of sorts with tricky/limited pro for the first 50' or so. Trend left past two pins in flakes to the obvious circular feature. Belay here (hand size cams) or link with the next pitch (judicious use of runners and pro).

5: Probably the best pitch on the route. Pull out of the circular belay on bomber 5.10- fingerlocks and faceholds. Follow the finger crack up until you can step into a left-facing corner. Follow this to a two-bolt belay out right below the crux pitch.

6: 3 bolts protect the balancey, Not So Obvious moves off the belay; some tricky micro-routefinding leads to a tough pull up into a shallow left-facing corner. Head up this corner and step right into a second corner system - this one protected by another three bolts to another bolted belay. This pitch is a safe lead but would be difficult to French Free. 5.11d, maybe 12a.

7: 4 bolts protect some nice 5.11- face/slab climbing that leads to broken corners/cracks and the summit ledge. This is a short pitch and ends at a bolted belay anchor.

Rap the route with two ropes (staying mostly left of the route) or walk off.

Protection 

Double RP's, wires, one set of cams to #2 Camalot. A few extra TCU's or Aliens.

Photos of All Two Obvious Slideshow

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The top of the crux pitch. Awesome exposure on pe...	The upper half of the crux pitch.	All too Obvious why this is a classic route!
Jeff up high on All Too Obvious.	Jeff pulling out of the half circle on All Too Obv...	Jeff on ATO.
If you're not smiling by this point on ATO, maybe ...	Jeff and Dusty (I assume) on the pitch before the ...	Jeff and Dusty working out the crux. 6-28-09
From the summit, climbers' helmets on the crux tra...	Looking up at the "half circle". Great 5.10 finge...	Jeff G. is following the Half-Circle pitch with Gr...
Jeff G. is in the tricky section after the 2nd bol...	The final crux move is entering the dihedral above...	One of the best pitches in the Park....
Adam coming up the 10c finger crack on his onsight...	BETA PHOTO: Photo topo for All Two Obvious showing options for...