Blazing Saddles 5.10b
| 2,774 page views Good page?  |
| Type: | Trad, 2 pitches, 200 feet |
| Consensus: | 5.10 [details] |
| FA: | Mike Beaubien, John Simpson, Perry Beckham 1982 |
| Season: | Spring, Summer, Fall |
| Submitted By: | Andy Laakmann on Aug 22, 2007 |
| |
BETA PHOTO: Leading the first pitch. The twin cracks leading ...
Add Photo Printer View
Description This climb is usually approached via the first two pitches of Borderline (5.10b, 5.8). P1 - 5.10a - From the big treed ledge (aka The Terrace), head up the left facing corner on the far left side. A few moves of 5.9 laybacking lead to a stemmy/chimneyish exit move. Bolted anchor. P2 - 5.10b - The money pitch. This thing is SWEET. Continue up the corner and make some moves over, on, and around the big, scary flake. This flake isn't going to last forever, and it'll be a bad day when it falls. Work the two parallel cracks (one is 3-5" and the other is 1-2") up the leaning wall until at the roof. The cracks offer excellent jamming, but the entire face leans to the right which significantly increases the pump! Undercling out the roof (green camalots) and pull the roof (crux) to another 10-15 feet of thin jamming. I didn't have a green camalot available when pulling the roof and was unhappy about it..... Bolted anchor.
Location Far left side of The Terrace below the Sheriff's badge. Usually approached via the first two pitches of Borderline. Rappel the route with one or two ropes.
Protection Nuts and two sets of cams from #0.5-#3 camalot. You might want to throw in an extra green and red camalots, as the crack is mainly 1-2".
BETA PHOTO: The ride, to the roof.
| Pulling the Roof
| The first pitch of Borderline. Brad was sorting a...
| Brad leading the second pitch of Borderline. The ...
| Brad wishing he had saved the right gear for the r...
| Kathleen pulling the roof on the money pitch. A co...
| 2nd pitch
| negotiating the roof on the 2nd pitch
| |
| Comments on Blazing Saddles |
|
By Doug D Aug 28, 2007
| We linked the first two pitches of Borderline with a 70. And linked Blazing Saddles and did it in one. Great climb. |
By Peter Spindloe Administrator From: North Vancouver, BC May 26, 2008
| It would be easy to miss the first bolted belay on Borderline. After you pull up through some trees on the first pitch and get to a great ledge, look around the corner to the left. The bolts are there, presumably to make pulling rappel ropes easier. I could easily imagine missing them and building a gear belay. On our way down there was another party who had missed them. As Andy mentioned, for the second pitch of Blazing Saddles, save a piece or two for after you pull the roof. .75 Camalot is perfect, but some large nuts work too. This is definitely the most strenuous part, so the ideal would be to have two .75s and place one at the lip and one between the lip and the anchor. |
By danelle From: Seattle, WA Aug 24, 2008
| Did this route to free an enticing yellow cam. Um LOOSE SHIT on this route strange since it is so popular..Stepped on a block that nearly missed my belayer. Be careful. |
By Andy Laakmann Site Landlord From: Bend, OR Jul 30, 2009
| I agree with Danielle. I did the route again and there are definitely some sketchy loose blocks. I'd bring 3x#0.75 camalots if you are squeemish, and save 2 of them for the roof and topout. A stiff 10b for Squamish. #3 camalots did not fit in the left/bigger crack... A #4 would fit, but you are better off bring more tight hands pieces and placing them in the right crack. Watch out pulling your ropes... as they like to snag at the base of p2. |
By claramie From: Boulder, CO Aug 8, 2011
| you could take new #4 camalots and sew up the fist crack at left if you didn't want to mess with .75s / #1s and #2s behind the flake. I disagree with placing a piece or two above the roof as this will get your rope stuck if it sucks in there. Maybe my method wasn't amazing either (placing a .5 right above the #4 crack in the roof then running it out to the anchors) but it does allow the rope to run through the crack instead of across the edge of the lip for the second. Amazing money pitch that shouldn't be missed! You can climb the whole thing on a single 70 and manage to rap back down to the start of borderline (use the tree tat rap partway up borderline P1). |
By Colin Parker Administrator From: Idyllwild, CA Aug 11, 2012 rating: 5.10b
| We climbed this a couple weeks ago and I'd like to confirm that the loose stuff has been removed. Other than the massive flake, this thing is secure. Also, one more vote for linking the pitches. |
|