This climbs a rising traverse on a dike just out of the river. The first pitch can be done during low tide. The name refers to the result of trundling a large block just above the first belay and one just below it.
Pitch 1: Fun move at the first bolt. Crux at 4th bolt. Can be easier 5 ft right of 4th bolt, but we did not clean that well.
Pitch 2: Begin just left of the anchor. Short cruxes are encountered at each bolt. Crux is at 5th bolt when the climb steepens. A red Alien may be placed before the 5th bolt. Originally the climb went 25 ft above the current anchor, but that just created rope drag and poor communication.
You can either lower/rappel to the river or traverse right into the woods at the level of the first belay anchor, depending on the water level.
Gets good early morning sun if the rest of Castle Rock is too cold.
Location
Begin 20 feet right of Subterranean Homesick Blues. You can use the first bolt of SHB as a directional belay anchor so the belayer does not get pulled into the water in case of a fall. If the water is too high, the top of the first pitch can be reached by traversing in from the right.
Protection
Pitch 1: 5 bolts to a 2-bolt belay. Pitch 2: 5 bolts plus optional red Alien to a 2-bolt anchor with chains.
Nice effort, you guys. On May 12, Strappo flawlessly led pitch one and styled through the crux high step on pitch two, which I dogged on lead. 10b for the first pitch, 10a for the second?
Strappo and I both commented that this west-facing wall holds tremendous opportunity for new routes, once it begins to clean up with traffic.
Castle Rock
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