Based on appearance, this might be a junior version of Ejection Seat. Forty feet right (north) of the Gym Arete and twenty feet right of Easy Cheese, look for two lines ascending a steep black bulge.
Arnold takes the left of these two lines, and the name fits until the crimps are reached. Steep jug pulling is friendly for the first two bolts, but just as the angle begins to ease the full-hand buckets disappear in favor of crimps and sharp bidoigt pockets. The ever-decreasing angle of the bulge motivates one to hustle, and if you outrace the pump you will find your feet beneath you for a few easy slab moves to the chains.
For those of us who climb like Austrian bodybuilders, this is a nice jughaul detour from the punishment of all those vertical Shelf faces.
This is really an outstanding route for the grade. I can't think of many 11+ routes at shelf that have better rock, better pockets, or more interesting moves. The only drawback would be the sharpness of the coral, but that's pretty much par for the course. I thought the long span right at the start was pretty powerful, but the pocket pulling about is spectacular.
By Bill Ballace From: Pullman, Wa Feb 3, 2006 rating: 5.11d
Yes, this is indeed a sweet, sweet route. I wish it were longer and steeper, then I could give it an other star. Amazingly this route is not that traveled. There is not a lot of chalk on it marking the holds and there is sand in the pockets. It actually makes for some interesting route finding. Go right and you might find it feeling hard for the grade.
The Gym
RSS Feed
