The line of the route is not hard to spot. It is a unique crack up the vertical west face of the giant boulder which forms the summit of Jerry's Quarry. The start of the crack is thin fingers, and is is covered partially by a huge "ear-like" flake. Mantle onto this, and continue up the thin crack with increasing difficulty. The crux comes at about 25 feet when the footholds vanish and the face overhangs a degree or two past vertical. After this, some nice finger locks replace the desperate finger-tip jams, and the angle eases slightly. Be sure to utilize the tiny but solid edges under the crack for your feet. Just before the mantle onto the summit, you have an almost no-hands rest, and one you will want to milk! At the top, savour your send of one of the world's finest routes, at one time one of the first routes graded 5.13, (hey, they had EB's and straight-sided nuts).
Protection
Despite the widening appearance of the crack near the top, the largest pro it takes is #3 TCU (or #1 friends). Take 2 each TCU's #1 and #2, one #3 and some finger sized stoppers.
By Chris Miller Administrator Oct 22, 2006 rating: 5.12c
A striking splitter, and one of the best pure crack routes in Joshua Tree. This route just begs to be climbed! Do note that toproping this makes the route almost a full number grade easier than if leading it.
Placing gear is real straightforward on Equinox. I think that leading being a whole grade harder is a bit of an exaggeration. Harder yes. A full number harder, well... Regardless, Equinox is arguably the finest crack in Jtree and one of the best fingercracks in the West if not the entire country.
A full number grade easier if you top rope it first?
That is ridiculous.
Great route though, hope to get the red point this season.
By Chris Miller Administrator Nov 7, 2007 rating: 5.12c
"A full number grade easier if you top rope it first? That is ridiculous."
Agreed, but that's not what was said. I said "...toproping this makes the route almost a full number grade easier than if leading it."
Obviously it's easier to TR as you don't need to stop and place gear; finger size comes into play on this route as well - I'd call it 5.11+ on TR, but YMMV.
This thing is nowhere near "a full number grade easier" on TR. 5.11c on TR? Bwahahaha, that's a good one! If you're willing to take longish falls, there are decent locks/stances at the start, at the scoop, and above the scoop to place gear from. The gear is very straighforward, especially for a harder JT climb.
By Adam Stackhouse Administrator From: Escondido, Ca Nov 7, 2007
I've heard similar sentiments about this climb not being 5.12 if on TR.
My 2 cents: This finger crack is simply amazing. The best I have ever seen on an intrusive rock. Leading it or TRing it? Not much different in my opinion. I say this because the thing takes perfect gear everywhere. Finger size cams just fall in. There are also some spaced, but really good locks- so if you're resting on em anyways, why not just drop in a cam as well? This crack was also the most painful I have ever experienced. I had flappers on my fingers afterwards. It is brutal. Smear those feet and yard on those locks, try not to bleed out... good luck. It is as good as it gets.
Jerry's Quarry
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