This is a nice pitch of face climbing on the upper end of the West Ridge. It is somewhat runout, but the cruxy sections generally have a bolt or pin nearby.
Begin with the first pitch of Muscular Dystrophy. This can be found at the top of the West Ridge, down and around the corner to the right from the clean slab of Prince of Darkness. It is easily recognized by the short right slanting finger crack about 15 feet off the ground. Climb up to the slanting crack, and follow it to the right. Follow the corners up until you are below the steep and obvious crux corner of Muscular Dystrophy. Place some well runnered pro and head left and up on precarious looking flakes and blocks to a slot behind a large block. Belay here off a #3 and #2 Camalots (a #4 Friend is nice, too). You should see a bolt above you on the clean face. Now the fun really begins...
Climb past the bolt and straight up to a second bolt that is hidden from below. Head straight past this bolt over runout ground (possible marginal #0 or #1 TCU placements) until you can clip a pin in a horizontal crack. Hand traverse left past a second pin, but not so far left that you are on the arete. Head up and slightly right past another bolt and the crux moves to the top (climb the face, not the arete). There is a single belay bolt that can possibly be backed up with a tree or some creative cam/nut placements.
Protection
For Laughing at the Moon proper, only 5 or 6 QDs are needed (although a tiny cam or two might make you happier). However, bring finger through fist sized cams and a set of nuts for the approach pitch and belay.
Due to the runout nature of the pitch, and the fact that you need to place gear to get to this climb, it's trad not sport.
Very fun face climbing with a well protected crux and an easy descent. The runouts are easy enough and the harder moves well enough protected, that this is a good lead for a competent 5.10 leader.
I agree with "the Deuce" Dawson. For its grade, this is one of the best pitches of face-climbing in the entire canyon. The first time we climbed it, "the Deuce" made me lower him back down two more times to reclimb the pitch!
By Ron Olsen Administrator From: Boulder, CO Aug 4, 2002
One of the best face pitches of its grade in Eldorado.
By Peter Spindloe Administrator From: North Vancouver, BC Oct 14, 2002
Laughing at the Moon is approached by either The Bat or Muscular Dystrophy as has been mentioned. From the first belay of Musclar Dystrophy you have to traverse (belayed) to a series of horizontal cracks below the first bolt and either continue, or set a belay there. You can also do the crux pitch of Muscular Dystrophy and then rap diagonally down and left and set a belay for Laughing at the Moon. That way you get two great pitches (plus the ok first pitch of MD).
Tricky at the top. Very enjoyable climb as both pitches are good. I backed up the pitons with a yellow alien. Climbing to the bolt after the pitons was challenging. Good fun!
As is mentioned on the Bushwhack Crack page, BC is the most direct line to start Laughing At The Moon. You won't need anything more than a yellow Alien and a few small nuts/RPs to protect between bolts. By mistake, I climbed all the way through the hand traverse to the arete, then traversed back in a bit higher to the last bolt at ~ 5.9. Tons of fun, and one of those pitches you wish was longer. Reminded me a bit of the upper part of Moonlight Drive (Cadillac), which is another one not to miss.
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