Meter your energy over an awkward bulge and slanting crack. Keep milking the continually narrowing crack until your pinkies bleed. Keep a sharp eye out for footholds, its Tuolumne!
Location
50' right of Cooke Book, up on the ledges past West Crack. Rap/lower unless you got aiders or are ready for 11d R hideousness.
By Greg DeMatteo From: Flagstaff, Az Apr 16, 2008 rating: 5.10
One of the great Tuolumne cracks (there are some!). The rest of the route looms overhead like an enigmatic shadow, but this first pitch is well worth doing more than once.
I agree, terrific crack. Could be as good as Mr. Natural if only a bit longer.
I fell on my OS attempt a few moves below the anchor when I slotted my fingers directly into the face of a small frog. Yikes! pullback reaction and off I went. My highest pro (a BD micro stopper) pulled and a blue TCU caught me 10 ft later.
Lingered at the anchor looking at the spooky start to the next pitch...
By Nick Stayner From: Tuolumne Meadows Aug 9, 2008
FA Vern Clevenger/Claude Fiddler. Don't know the history, but these guys at least got the first and second pitches.
When you're at the anchor check out the 5.11d R pitch. This slab-up-a-seam pitch is one of the real psychological/technical testpieces of the era - Vern Clevenger whipped off this pitch over the roof/dihedral edge onto an RP - which held! The fixed pin is a #1 knifeblade, which we replaced (the old #1 knifeblade was very rusty).
The 3rd pitch was attempted many many times by Clevenger and friends, and a second variation was even bolted (never-redpointed low 5.13?), and they even blew out a new 1/4" bolt while working the variation. Bachar got the FFA at 5.12c, and Gullich and Schneider got ascents (maybe one other?).
This is a fantastic pitch. It has varied jamming, fun moves, and good pro. I found a 00 TCU protected the last eight feet very well, although I am sure you could get a nut in up there.
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