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Rappel Rock
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Bender-Axen 
Black Quacker 
Chiboni 
Chicken Sh*t Sandwich 
Helm's Deep 
Quick Death 
Standard Route 

Quick Death 

5.9

   
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FA: unknown, 1974
Type: Trad
Consensus: 5.9 [details]
Length: 1 pitch, 80 feet
Views: 387 page views

Submitted By: Tony Bubb on Oct 21, 2001


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Description 

This is a single pitch to serve as a variation or to add a second pitch to one of the routes below.

On the lower South face of Rap Rock, the right hand edge forms a big slabby apron. The left side of this apron forms a huge dihedral with the main wall, which is Black Quacker. Just right of Black Quacker lie the following routes, from left-to right:P1 of The Standard Route (5.5 or 5.7, OK gear), Chiboni (5.9, pin + 3 bolts), Death Or Glory (5.10X, slab) Bender Axen (5.8 cracks) and Take To your Heals (5.9X, slab).

To approach, climb the first pitch as any of the above to a nice ledge 60' up at the base of a big pine tree. From there continue one of 3 ways, both of which seem to be done regularly:

Option #1: (5.8+, ?**) Climb up and right from the ledge on a set of intermittent seams, for maybe 50 feet. Step left to a right facing corner, then up and left to a left facing corner (crux?), just before clipping a bolt up and to the left (long runner). From there get up and right onto a ledge and into another left-facing corner. Climb this for another 30 feet or so to a downward pointing flake. Maneuver around the flake (5.8) and up either side of it to land on a ledge up and to the right.

Option #2: (5.9, ?**) Climb up and left from the ledge toward a groove, then hook up and right to a left-facing crack system. Climb the flakes and cracks until you see a bolt (crux?). Clip the bolt up and then get up and right onto a ledge and into another left facing corner. Climb this for another 30 feet or so to a downward pointing flake. Maneuver around the flake (5.8) and up either side of it to land on a ledge up and to the right.

Option #3: (5.10a, ***) Climb up and sharply left from the ledge, heading for an arete on the left side of the wall. There is a small left-facing corner and a second crack just left of this arete, which will offer some opportunity to place gear as you climb upward on what is becoming a pinnacle to a ledge (5.9). From the small ledge at the top of a pinnacle, continue climbing up and right on a thin crack before making a crux move (5.10a) to go up and right to the bolt. Clip the bolt and finish as for options #1 and #2.

Going to the top? Finish as for Black Quacker.


Protection 

A standard set of stoppers, cams .5" to 3", small tricams + 1 QD for a single bolt. If finishing as per Black Death or an another route, take spare long slings for tieing off chicken-heads and slinging horns.



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By Erik Murdock
May 22, 2004

I am not sure about the description above because Quick Death is one pitch of good hand and finger jamming one pitch above Chiboni, Bender Axen etc. Just climb above the belay ledge with the large tree and, when possible, traverse left to a perfect crack. Getting established in the crack may be the crux. Climb the crack for 35 feet or so until it stops at a horizontal. Place gear in the horizontal and climb unprotected face moves to the next ledge. The last bit is a little committing. This is the Quick Death pitch and is unique to Tucson because there are so few splitter cracks.

By Braxton Norwood
From: Tucson, AZ
Feb 27, 2007

I think Erik is right. I also believe that this pitch can be TR'd if you setup a creative belay from the end of P2 of The Standard Route.