BETA PHOTO: Left side of Corral Wall -- shows routes from Chuc...
Description
This short (aren't they all), but interesting, route lies on the left end of the Corral Wall, just left of Chuck Wagon Crack. Begin with a short left-arching thin crack, exit this (crux), then up face above to a large ledge with a 2 bolt anchor. Rappel off (50 feet) from here.
The solution to the crux may not be immediately obvious, which is why the rating was made harder than previously reported. 2 of 5 stars.
Protection
TCUs, or equivalent, 2 bolts and a fixed pin. 2 bolt anchor/ 50 foot rap off.
By Tony Bubb From: Boulder, CO Jan 16, 2005 rating: 5.12d
Hard, hard route. Impossible for me to on-sight anyway. I thought maybe 12+.
I first tried to do this route without what I thought was a crux hold. It is not that I didn't see the hold, but more that I was avoiding it. It's size, shape, color and texture were consistent witha mud-douber wasp's nest, and I thought that grabbing it could result in a trip-ruining sting. Once I grabbed a TR rope and pulled my way way up past the hold I realized it was a large sloper of epoxy-crete. It was sugggested by my partner to grab a rock and smash it off, but I don't know the history here and I'm not a local so I left it.
It has since been verified no-longer-present (removed?) and this is a good thing.
WTF! Unless someone has seriously messed with this route in recent history, nothing Tony says makes the slightest bit of sense. The route involved some funky pinch layback moves which are pretty hard to fingure out. If some frustrated person decided to change the route because they couldn't do it, well, that is a shame.
I will be checking the route out this year when I resurvey Indian Cove and Rattlesnake Canyon for Vol. 2.
Nevertheless, there was no crimper or such that was key to the route that I recall (I've lead it twice, once about 5 years ago). The crux is really hard to figure out, involving a layback/pinch on the right edge of the crack and highstepping onto it. It is one of those moves/combos that makes the route seem near impossible until you figure it out, then it seems not so bad.
Took some falls off this one this w/e ( take it from me,the pin is good ). I didn't see any manufactured holds or wasp's nests. In fact, I wish there had been a sloper, 'cause the crimper I used ( repeatedly, I admit ), has worn a bloody hole in my finger. This would be an extremely difficult onsite.