Efferem chalking up on the small ledge before the ...
Description
This is the straight crack just right of Taken for Granite. Same start: a 5.8 boulder problem under a small roof. Climb a wide slot with a finger crack on the right for 30' to the top of a large block.From here, go straight up in a finger and hand crack.
2 rope rap from slings or easy 5th class descent down gully behind the face.
By Matthew Fienup Administrator From: Ventura, CA Oct 5, 2002 rating: 5.8
No trip to Indian Cove is complete without hiking beautiful Rattlesnake Canyon and roping up for "200 Motels." The route is incredible--smooth, Sierra-like granite betrays this route's location, and the finger locks are outrageously good! Is 5.8 allowed to be this fun?! Don't miss it. It,s among the coolest moderate pitches in the park.
Awesome climbing, including face, OW, chimney, to a spectacular ~100 foot hand/finger crack (the right of the two cracks). This thing eats up nuts and hexes, and a large cam (4.5 Camalot) will protect the move into the wide crack and chimney. The technical crux comes quickly. Above the climbing is sweet and easy! You will want to climb it again, but don't have to because "Taken for Granite" is 10 feet away and even better! Descent: A chossy, veg-filled gully on climber's right leads back to the base.
Just a bit of trivia, but the original 200 Motels is the arching 40' right facing layback crack just below Rattlesnake Buttress. I don't know what that thing is called in the guide these days (is it even in the guide?), but I belayed Roy McClenahan on it / spring '79. Nice rock quality, cool moves; 10a-ish.
Edit- i read what Outdoor Eric wrote below- --route I thought we originally named 200 Motels was in fact Cactus Cooler.
From the finishing ledge, I was able to run it out on moderate face to the sling wad at the top of Taken For Granite. This makes for a 140 foot pitch and avoids the descent gully.
I think Jeff Sewell is referring to Cactus Cooler 5.10b, which starts out great then gets a bit nebulous.
This route along with the 5.8 to the left are really nice moderate routes. Clean rock up in a high position in a nice canyon. Easy scramble off to climbers right. Don't stir up the ants at the start.