By Michael Walker From: Loveland, CO Jul 18, 2002
| hmmm.Clean face? I found this route to start at two slightly overhanging finger cracks 10 feet or so left of the 13c bolted route at the SE end of Tuck. If the crack on the left is taken, strenuous backstepping up will be needed. I chose the right crack and had a spooky layback/mantle to get into the crack proper. Old school 5.9 stemming and jamming follows to a good ledge.
At this point, in a dramatic error in route finding, I continued following the overhanging face up and to the right. I believe the actual route steps left around the arete, and hits the crack that Myke mentions in his description. I'm guessing the face he mentions was also to the left of the overhanging crack start I chose.Anyway, so now I'm following the final overhanging section of the 13c, clipping the bolts and then following thin cracks to the right. I was hoping the grade would lesson, that the crux 11 moves of the 13c were stepping left across the arete and the small cracks on the right might be the 5.9 route. Needless to say, it wasn't, and I took a pretty good whipper onto some small aliens, one of which popped and sent me three feet from the ledge below the overhanging face. Thank the lord for Yellow Aliens! It's a pretty continuos, natural line, but wayyyyy harder than 9. I'll be back to finish this variation...someday... |