A nice route with two good pitches. Start directly below the belay tree of Verschneidung at a wide crack. This is maybe 20 feet left of the upper Verschneidung dihedral. Up the wide crack using various holds (no offwidth required) to an easy low angle area. Aim straight up for a crease at the left edge of an overhanging headwall. Get gear at the base of the crease -- cam straight up, small wire in the crease -- and move left onto the steep wall. Get a cam above in an undercling. You can escape further left for a rest, but if you can, continue straight up on good face holds--it gets easy quickly. Continue to the belay tree. This pitch felt contrived, since at the crux headwall you can go just a few feet left to easier climbing.
Pitch 2 climbs a bit right of the tree with decent gear to the base of an overhanging buttress. Move left, then up a crack with good gear in the crack and out right (crux). Another easier but tricky bulge leads to a low angle slab and the Verschneidung rappel tree.
As of 2/16/03 the slings on this tree were crap. One ancient sling and one newer but partially cut. We traversed left on the east side of the ridge to the cable anchor that leads down to the bolts above Washington Irving.
Protection
Rated S in Rossiter, I felt this was G. Standard rack.
Clear-a-Sill is fun with an interesting crux. The crux appears to be a bulge with a nice crack that protects well. Pull over the bulge using the crack and climb to the top. Two rappels to the ground.
There is a nice set of bolts for rapping at the top of this route now. A 60m will reach the bolts near the tree at the end of the first pitch.
By Clint Locks From: Boulder Sep 28, 2004 rating: 5.9
If you're using the Rossiter guidebook, the first pitch DEFINITELY merits an 's' rating. I don't really see a reason to do it, though. We top-roped it and it was OK, but not *great* fun. I'd start as for Vercheniediegdung...very-shy-dung...however you spell it...and just start Clear-a-Sill from the bolts by the tree (beg. of Verch's P2), making it, of course, a one-pitch climb. You can actually start 3 or 4 quality 8+s / 9s from there. Don't be an anchor hog, and have fun!
I didn't lead the first pitch, but my partner found good gear. We both thought that it didn't deserve the S rating, and was a fun pitch. But tastes differ, and your mileage may vary.
West Ridge - Long John to Verschneidung
RSS Feed
