Joseffa Meir follows up the 'West Face (5.9)' of B...
Description
Looking for a well-protected, challenging 5.9 crack to climb? Eldo feeling a bit too greasy in this heat? If so, the shady "West Face" (a misnomer- this is a crack climb for the most part) route on Bell Buttress is for you. Locate this little beauty as the right-most of three crack systems right of Cosmosis. Climb the crack in the shallow right-facing corner, over a roof at a big flake, to a 2-bolt belay. Rappel (watch you don't miss the ledge!) or continue up the system to the top of the rock (a bit of wandering around). Solid 5.9!
Protection
Doubles, wired nuts, TCUs to 3" cams. 50m rope OK for lowering.
Great climb. A must do! Before the roof place some bomber pro, because the moves over the roof are scary since all I could find to protect them is small wires (2-#3s). Yikes!!
I have to agree....went and led this yesterday and it is definately one of the best pitches of crack climbing in Boulder canyon...... exciting, steep, sustained, FUN..... the part above roof is a bit thin but easy stemming will get you to the anchors if you stay left(easier than it looks/seems). RECOMMENDED...
This one is rising as one of my favorite pitches in Boulder Canyon. I absolutely loved it. There are so many good moves on this climb (fingerlocks, stems, laybacks, a couple roofs to manueaver - the second and crux roof is a GAS) that I had a perm-a-grin all afternoon.
Three stars. Cosmosis drew me to the area, West Face and West Crack will have me coming back!
If you want to continue . . . climb straight up on easy terrain past the rap anchor to a ledge. Above you is a lonely piton and not much pro -- that's 15, "Headwall." Instead, traverse R thru a bit of brush, then up the dihedral. Good pro, fun roof, then very easy climbing. P2 is just over 100'
By Ernie Port From: Boulder, Colorado Sep 10, 2003
Led this tonight...IMO its the best (9) trad route on Bell and ranks high as best at the grade in the entire canyon. The move right off the top of the small pinacle just past the roof is awesome...took me awhile to find the hidden hold up high. Great position there. The entire route is well protected and interesting. A must do...
About ten feet up the route a shallow right facing corner starts. This corner lasts for about ten feet, at which point you are standing beneath the roof. Near the top of where the corner runs out, on the left face, a series of flakes exist. The first one I encountered was well chalked but extremely loose and I avoided using it. After finishing the route, my friend ripped this leg-sized flake loose with very minimal effort. The scariest part about leaving this thing in place would be what would happen to the belayer directly below. So.... the route has not changed in quality or difficulty (you'd be nuts to use that flake, but the chalk indicated that lost of people had and it was only a matter of time before someone yarded on it just a little too much), and should be cleaner, but just be aware of that spot. JGH
By pfwein From: South Boulder Jun 4, 2006 rating: 5.9+
This is rated 9+ in my guide (Boulder Climbs North), which I think is accurate.
The West Face contains one of the best knee bars that I've ever done on natural rock. The knee bar is of the horizontal type. Your left toe fits into a notch and your left knee is pushed up against a corner just below the first roof. At this position you can comfortably place a RP and a number 5 BD nut to protect the roof. The knee bar provides a nice rest for a sustained old school 5.9 route.
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