Update: As of mid November, 2007, the poison ivy has gone dormant. Watch out for plants with little berries; these are poison ivy bushes. Stay away from them and you should be fine to climb here.
I climbed here again on 3/1/08; the poison ivy is still dormant. It should be fine to climb on the left side of the crag from now until mid-May.
From mid-May through October, the hillside below the left side of Boulder Slips is covered in poison ivy. It is difficult to avoid no matter how you approach the climbs. Better to climb somewhere else during this time. Routes on the center and right side of Boulder Slips are not affected.
Mike Borkowski starting the crux traverse under th...
Description
Boulder Slips is an old trad route that is seldom climbed these days because of a few spots of poor protection. However, the climbing is good, the crux has decent pro, and the route can be top-roped from the anchor on My Way.
From the parking pullout, walk up to the shoulder on the right side of crag. The route starts in a big right-facing dihedral with a roof about 40' up.
Climb up the dihedral, past several thin sections, to the roof. Protection is generally good in this area, with small cams and wires. Face climb left just below the roof to a stance on the arete. There is a thin crack under the roof where you can place two black (smallest) Aliens to protect this crux traverse. Above the roof, step right and climb a short slab to a crack (5.6 or 5.7 runout), and continue up the crack and slabs to the 2-bolt anchor on My Way. The last slab section is also a bit runout, but no harder than 5.7.
Stop at the 2-bolt anchor on My Way. From here, it's 85' back down. If you continue up to a pine tree at the top, there is no anchor and it's 110' back down (a 60m rope won't quite make it).
Protection
Up to a #2 Camalot, with emphasis on small to finger-size cams and small wires. Two black Aliens provide protection for the crux moves left under the roof. Ball nuts should work here as well.
The protection up to the roof and through the traverse is generally good with modern cams. The only runouts are in two slab sections above the roof, but the climbing is no harder than 5.7.
The route can be top-roped from the anchor on My Way.
Location
On the right side of the crag at a big right-facing corner capped by a roof.
Boulder Slips
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