Jack of Hearts 

I climbed this route about 10 years ago and it really kicked my butt. I remember thinking at the time that it was more 5.10 than 5.9. perhpa I was having a bad day. Comments are encouraged.

Immediately after this climb I did Nolina Crack (10a) and Ace of Spades (9), and both felt a touch harder, so it seems reasonable to me to call this 5.9... A little insecure up high after stepping across the void into the chunky corner but no big deal.

josh

Both bolts on Scientific Americans (between Jack of Hearts and Popular Mechanics) were replaced 1/2003.

Typical rack to #3 Camalot. If you continue high enough, there is a bolted rap anchor.

Start in the hand crack at the base of the lowest part of the main wall. Continue up the burly big hands crack, which eases towards the top. Continue through the offwidth above, and then step across a gap with less than perfect rock. The belay is on a ledge above. Rappel to the base of Popular Mechanics.

The intial crack is real good. A book example of vertical hands to fist cracks, on a corner. The rest of the climb is not so nice. I give it two stars just for the initial crack. It feels steep for a 5.9.

I followed and lay-backed the lower crack. I'd never do that on lead ,though. We (Locker) broke it into two pitches. I led the second, and the choice is between the jam on the left and the face on the right. I took the face(5.9), error, error--scary, dangerous runout. The lower crack we both thought was harder than nine.

Now I have something to go on.....The hand crack at the start did indeed feel harder than 5.9. I give it the ambiguous 5.9+ because that rating means it can be pratcally anything out here at Jtree. Anything that is but 5.9 and down... The start ate me alive! But it was a challenge and really fun in an odd way............