Peregrine Falcons are nesting again at Lover's Leap. Please avoid the areas displayed on the map posted below. A closure will be in place at the center of the wall starting in mid-April and ending in September. A detailed listing of closed routes and any changes in the information regarding the peregrine falcons will be posted on the Eldorado National Forest website http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado. If you require addition information contact Susan Yasuda, District Wildlife Biologist on the Placerville Ranger District 530-547-5317.
Here's a map:
2009 Closure Map Submitted By: Amy Ansari on Jun 15, 2009
Zach Thompson on the overhanging hands section of ...
Description
Sinbad-Herbert starts just right of Crud Gully if you're facing the rock. It's a great, steep handcrack on the left wall, that goes to some intermediate anchors 60' up. Going just to here is probably .10a or .10b. From the intermediate anchors, continue up the bolted face for another 120'. It is all bolted face climbing, with bolts right at hard moves, well protected. Excellent moves. This is a newer route, and the upper section is still a little 'green' but still excellent.
You need 2 60m ropes to descend, one 70m to reach the lower anchor, or you can traverse to the Groove anchor, or top it out at 5.6R.
Location
Just right of Crud Gully, about 30' beyond the .7 start to surrealistic pillar.
Protection
finger-hand sized cams for the crack, bolted upper face. Bolted anchor.
At least a couple of the bolts on the upper face are a bit reachy to clip. I'm 6' and I remember needing to either lock off pretty low or even jump, quickdraw in hand, to clip a couple of them. Rock quality above the first-pitch belay is poor for about 20 or 30' and, although easy climbing, you wouldn't want to fall before the first bolt on that pitch--especially if onto your belayer. This is a very good reason to do the climb in one long 200' pitch.
Couldn't figure out where the second pitch started, I looked around for bolts and chalk, but couldn't see anything except what appeared to be virgin rock.
Regardless, the first pitch is considered a lower buttress classic by many. While I agree that it's a good route overall, I do think that a .10b rating is an inflated grade if you use the wall to the right. I've done it both ways and I've been told by many people that the wall to the right is on. If this is true, I'd give this pitch 5.9 for taller climbers and maybe .10- for shorter climbers.
Perfect Elbows? Sounds pretty slammer. You propose 5.8 then?
This climb can also be led just using the corner, without going into the perfect elbows crack on the left.
To begin the extension, or second pitch, there are two ways. From the anchor you can creep out right onto the face, over, up and back left a tad to the first lead bolt. A little spicy and poor rock quality.
A better choice is to just cruise up the crummy gully to the left then step right out onto the face next to the bolt. Still bad rock, but easy climbing.
Also, with regard to the reachy clips, this was put up on lead by a 5'6" climber!
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