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Little Hunk - East Face
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Blue Diamond (aka Shock To The System) 
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Blue Diamond (aka Shock To The System) 

5.10b

   

FA: Bob Gaines 1994, FL: Rex Pieper 1994
Type: Trad
Consensus: 5.10b/c [details]
Length: 1 pitch, 60 feet
Views: 99 page views

Submitted By: Chris Miller on Jan 1, 2002


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A portion of the wall is closed due to Indian rock art. MORE INFO >>>

BETA PHOTO: "Blue Diamond". I'm not sure if the start is corre...


Description 

Right of Electric Blue (5.11c) is a large tan-colored flake resting against the main face, which is the start of this route. Climb the outer face of the flake past a low bolt, then continue up the smooth face above the flake (crux) to shared anchors with Electric Blue. The lower portion of the route is on grainier rock while the upper portion is on high-quality stone.


Protection 

4 bolts, anchors



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By Rex Pieper
Jan 20, 2004

Not a big deal, but Bob Gaines was the toprope FAist. I bolted it a month or so later from the ground up (not knowing it was already a TR). So my ascent was the "first lead".

I gave it the name Shock to the System because I took a fall above the 3rd bolt and hit the ledge formed by the top of the huge flake. After lowering, I redpointed the route second try. Several months later, I added the 4th bolt, after thinking about the unecessary fall danger that another bolt would eliminate.

By Randy
Oct 11, 2004
rating: 5.10c

Route seemed 10b/c and is pretty fun. One observation: The 2nd bolt (the first above the large flake/ledge) is extremely low and would do little to prevent a ledge fall getting to the next bolt. Same critique for the 3rd bolt.

Fun slab climbing on excellent grey patina.

By Blitzo
Sep 8, 2006

Good rock!

By Andy Laakmann
Site Landlord
From: Jackson Hole, WY
Apr 19, 2008
rating: 5.10c

Good movement on great patina rock. Unfortunately, the 4th bolt placement is quite dangerous (as Randy mentions). The crux (I feel 10c) comes right below the bolt, and a fall would probably result in a 20-25' ledge fall. Only do this route if you are solid at the grade. The bottom moves (1st bolt) are on grainy rock, but the movement is still fun.

By susan peplow
From: what day is this?
May 30, 2008
rating: 5.10b

Humm, seems we're all on the same page on this route. Let it be mentioned that the lower section as you climb a large flake is a bit grainy and the first bolt is silly close to the rock/base, you'd deck for sure if you blew it getting to the ledge.

As for the second portion of the route, the quality of rock is much improved and the climbing fun as you use friction and technical footwork on the slab. I was convinced there were only two bolts on the upper section but did come across a 3rd just as the angle decreased. I figured, why bother. (Although now I've seen the story on why).

Worth doing, not necessarily worth leading if you've done the 9 to the right. The lower off puts you right at the start for a quick TR.