Joint Venture 

This is a great climb, but the fledgling (flailing?) 5.11 leader might want to bring at least one mid size nut or a #3 or 4 Metolius size for the run from bolts 6 to 7 (counting clipping the lower anchor as a 'bolt'). I found it a little much for my taste, as the climbing got harder there, and the reach was a bit much for my 5'6" self. Otherwise a great route with fun moves below and again up higher.

I seem forever to be in the role of guide book writer. If I go to Manhattan, people stop me and ask how to get to the Trade Towers. As for Joint Venture, the name is a play on Cannabis Sportiva, and on the fact that I did this originally with Leah Macaluso. Leah, being rather short, hated the upper arete. She was my massage therapist as well as a lovely climbing partner. Dan Hare had nothing to do with this route. Leah and I started in the narrow dihedral in the left of the photo via gear, then climbed the arete to the right of Dan''s route. Do you people read guides books or just make this stuff up? Dan's route climbs the steep face just right of the initial arete then takes the upper dihedral just left of the upper arete of Joint Venture. Dan's route is called Feeding the Beast and is rated overall, 12a. The name may be a reference to Dan's insatiable lust for setting new routes.

Richard -

Personally, I not only read guidebooks, but also purchase them. Haven't you got the royalties from all your books I've bought?

Roger

I listed Dan's route on this website as "Beast Food" which is what Rolofson's book calls it. I also gave it the 12b rating that Rolofson listed.

And as a point of clarification, I think this beta photo is a bit misleading - the anchors shown here are actually the anchors for Beast Food.You have to stay right to get to the anchors of Joint Venture.

All that aside, Joint Venture is a really fun line on nice stone!

This route can be climbed as an easy 5.10 or maybe an 5.11a, depending upon the line taken. On the upper section, where it follows the arete it is also possible to set right into the dihedral there (still within clipping reach) and stem/palm to the right to pass the crux on the arete.

If you're thinking of linking up the first part of Joint Venture with Cannabis Sportiva, don't! It's certainly possibly with long slings, but it's not worth the risk to your belayer. There are some gnarly loose blocks in between the two routes that you must traverse across.

Fun route with a thin start and some good steming on the upper "pitch". Easily done as one pitch with a 60m and minor rope drag. Nice climb.

ALERT: If you climb this to the bolted anchor and then climb 'Cannabis Sportiva', there is a big, TV-sized, loose block about 6' left of the anchor sitting on a ledge. It looks like a great hand jam behind it to make the traverse but - DO NOT PULL ON IT!! We would have thrown this to the ground, but were worried about it eventually rolling to the highway. It certainly needs to come off though.

IMHO, the lower section goes at 5.10+ for those interested. Watch your rope around the arete and you might want one smallish cam to get to the anchors. Green or Yellow alien.