Another nice little route on the W-face of The Box. Slightly better than Aunt Jennifer's Tigers. Find this just R of Hand Crack, 5.9 and Aunt Jennifer's Tigers, 5.10d . This a pretty, W-facing wall with brilliant green lichens has 3 of the 5 routes of the W-face. Certainly a bit of a hump for an approach, perhaps 45 minutes, but decent variety in the area can make it worth it. This perhaps-slightly more than vertical route is identified by 3 bolts going straight up to a 2-bolt anchor. On our climb, as of 4/11/3, the 4th bolt described by Rossiter seemed to be missing. Maybe, we couldn't count. Rossiter had already noted the 2 pins were missing previously. In its current state, it is a long way to the first bolt. It would be quite exciting clipping the 2nd bolt. 2 stars, by consensus of 2.
The pins below the 1st bolt seem to be gone. Consider a stick clip for the 1st bolt (perhaps 15 ft up), it is a long ways up and blowing the clip might just ruin your day. Muscle up the overhanging start by walking your feet up the red boulder under the overhang. Get a good spot. Reach up L to a big pebble, then move your R hand up to the big, rough pinch, then move your L hand up to the squared-off-ish edge. Scrunch up and get your feet onto the main wall. Get in balance. Reach up for the 1st clip. Now sidepull/layback a longish edge as you work your feet up on very grippy footholds. Get stable off the edge and make the 2nd clip. I don't recommend blowing this 2nd clip either. From the top of the sidepull-layback edge, move up and R. The climbing becomes less difficult but more balancy. Use the arete and the crack in the dihedral as you work your feet up. Find a good pinch just below the anchor. Clip & rap.
Rap the route from the 2-bolt anchor which is shared with Aunt Jennifer's Tigers. The R bolt could use a link or something better than the thin, split ring and hollow aluminum rap ring. The L bolt also uses a thin, split ring.
Yes, I'm a fan of Adrienne Rich. I only remember placing a single knifeblade about mid-route. These were the days of hand-drilling, so we looked for any method to spare the drill.
The Box
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