This route is to the climber's right of Ball Bearing.
P1: Follow a large ramp to an easy fifth class face that's tricky to protect. Climb straight up for a few feet and belay from a small cave.
P2: Exit the cave and climb up on large patina flakes. If you go right the difficulty is 5.7, and if you go left it is 5.6. Belay from a large ledge and walk off to climber's left.
P1 up the ramp, straight up from the tree, traverse under the roof to the patina and up to a huge ledge.P2 head right up double cracks, across ledge to awesome layback dihedral then a few awkward moves to the top.easy walkoff left as you face the climb.An excellent start to the day.
It's short enough that it can be done in one pitch, but rope drag would be significant
By Dr. Evil From: Boulder, CO May 11, 2006 rating: 5.7
Excellent route. It can easily be climbed in one pitch with a 60-meter rope and not too many placements (to avoid rope drag).
By Sam Prentice From: davis, ca Oct 26, 2006 rating: 5.6 R
Classic. A near perfect single pitch 5.6.
This overlooked and underrated route is likely the best 5.6 in the park: balancy face moves to start, an overhang with huge jugs, a nice bear hug/finger crack midway, and a solid layback to top it off.
Dr. Evil is right on: unless you're still gaining your lead head, do it in one pitch. Start at the top of the left leaning ramp, and conserve placements until you get to the overhang.
If you dont know how to reduce rope drag, this is a great route to learn!! There are so many places to set up a second belay, you have many "outs".
My follower on this route is an experienced climber and he found the traverse to the bottom of the crux could be a bit eerie for the less experienced follower due to far apart pro from the beginning to the end of the traverse.
The traverse looks kind of improbable from the ground. Probably better for an experienced 5.7 leader to lead. At the beginning of the climb where you follow a crack up (above a small tree) you can get a smaller nut (lower) and a TCU or Alien (around 3/4" size) a few feet higher. I only had a .75 camalot and couldnt get it in the narrow (height and width) crack so could only get 2 lobes in there and probably would have decked if falling form the traverse.
The traverse is all there for a taller person but can definitely make one nervous as a fall will cause injury probably. At the end of the 10'-15' traverse or so you can plug a good piece under the patina plates before going up over the patina plates. Once again height helps feel securer earlier on this part.
The rest of the climb is mostly walking up ledges with the exception of a finger lock move and a short lieback or hand jam section. Did it in one pitch (70 meter but 60 meter is fine). I didnt feel rope drag but didnt put much pro in.
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