Bitchin Chimney  5.9

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Type:  Trad, 2 pitches, 300 feet Consensus:  5.9 [details] FA:  Submitted By:  Aaron Hobson on May 4, 2009 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (1) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

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Description 

Why would anyone jump onto this squeeze chimney route while surrounded by quality sport and trad lines and even higher quality bouldering? The Sherman Guide for Hueco tanks (2nd edition) states "... it has only been climbed once by a skinny and lanky person who said it was tight.", so you'll probably feel like the second person ever to climb this route. I sure did. Not being an avid wide-crack or chimney climber, I was intimidated by tackling the route. Nothing about it looks all that difficult, but you may as well forget about protection. Much to my surprise and enjoyment, I realized that for squeeze chimneys such as this one, protection isn't required for making you feel secure. Of course, I'm also a fairly skinny person... If you're here and up for it, jump on this route for a secure-feeling, but mostly solo squeeze climb.

Location 

The large chimney in between Banana Patch and Alice in Banana Land.

Protection 

A really big bro? The first chock-stone you can sling is 40ft up, followed by a large chock-stone you can stand on and then another 20-30 ft to reach some protectable cracks. Despite this you may not feel like slinging the first chock-stone as it is fairly awkward to reach, and once you're on top of the second chock-stone the squeeze is over, the climbing eases up and you'll probably continue on without slinging it either.

The top of the first pitch shares an anchor with Alice in Banana Land.