Ken Heiser leading at the crux on a shady, cool mo...
Description
Start as for Muscular Dystrophy, but where MD cuts left 12' up from [the] handcrack to a finger crack, place a 2" or 2.5" cam and cut ever so slightly left to a flake and seam. A [questionable] [medium] nut can go behind the flake, and up and high right some micro cams or a small TCU can be placed with a little reach, in an open spot [in the] seam. This is [visible] from the ground. Move up past those moves (10a, crux?) to a stance where you can reach around to the right and set a few nuts in a crack for the right hand (hard to see until you look for it) which are good nuts. Pull up and layback on this hold a tad (10a? maybe this is the crux) to reach for positive holds above, then do the easy moves from there to the belay on the ledge above. You can finish on Laughing At The Moon or Muscular Dystrophy.
[Rossiter's] description and topo are poor. The position of the route is clear, but there are a few issues: 1) The route is sure easy for 10b (9+/10a, my partner agreed) 2) The route is well protected for an S (partner agreed) 3) There is no fixed pin, which was prominent in the description and topo.
Protection
The route was rated S in Rossiter's books. The books also mention a fixed pin, which is not there and has not been for a while.
[Nonetheless], the [route] protects [reasonably] on some small-to-mediam nuts and micro-cams. I placed the bottom 2 sizes of micro-camalots and then a #7 BD nut next to a BD copper-steel nut (#4?). That was the hard part. I got a few nuts in later as well. I never felt as though I was risking a long fall.
Just backing up Tony's assessment. For sure not "S", for sure not 5.10b, and definitely no pin, however I think it's two stars when combined with Laughing at the Moon in one pitch. Kick ass!
The first 30' are nice, steep climbing. I agree that the crux is not S and that the old rating of 5.9+ is more like it. However, some quality and an S can be added to the route, by continuing straight up a 5.8ish slab (no pro, ledge ) after the crux rather than going up the easy corner to the left. By itself, this climb is a solid one star.
The pin was courtesy of Leigh "Manuel" McGinley and me in 1987. The new Rossiter guide hadn't come out yet, the route was dirty and poorly protected before the crux, and the were lots of new bolt routes going in. So we climbed it in trad style ground up, placed the pin on lead, and named it "Lone Justice". Rossiter published the next year and correctly identified it as the Bat, noted the pin, and incorrectly rated it 10- s.
I agree that it is a better start to Laughing or MD.
You internet guys must have bats between your ears if you think this is well protected...I say put that short/fat blade back where it belongs and don't kid yourself about those micro cams...
does every route have to have protection every ten feet? why would you want to ruin a fine (though not great) natural line with some fixed gear? the climbing is fairly secure and easy, so what if you have to run it out a tad (and only a tad).
Scott, That "short flat blade" you mention would probably occupy the space where the bomber #7 stopper I mentioned goes. The climb is not runout.If a pin is replaced and over time becomes questionable (which it will), the gear will be lacking in desirability. I say let the climber place his pro and place it well.
I don't think that you will say a good #7 stopper won't hold a fall, so... As far as trusting microcams and their ability to hold goes... I don't have bats between my ears. Yes, you've been climbing for a lot longer than me, and climbing harder at that, but we've both been climbing since before the little cams were invented, and it seems a majority of people think that they are pretty good. I'm not talking #00 Friends (aid pieces) I am talking the red and yellow micro-Camalots. They will hold if the rock does.
By CHRIS TAYLOR From: Eldorado Springs Sep 14, 2008
The gear is good on this one. No cam smaller than green Alien needed. Small HB offset wires work great
West Ridge - top to Xanadu
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