Left of Funkemental and Raven, this climb is a little deceptive for 10b. Start at a prominent reddish block. Climb up over the bright red rock and stand atop it for the second clip. From there the rating gets more accurate and you can go left of the arete or straight on to the bolts. Either way you go you will have to use some balance to clip as the route does not have a lot of easy clip stances. Layback and undercling the corner block just before the anchors. It is probably easier to clip the anchors if you get into the crack above and to their right as trying to stretch out to the anchors from below was unbalanced.
The bolt placement makes the last layback/undercling before the anchors a bit more ... ennervating .. than other climbs at Cactus. Reasonably fun route with good variety.
Didn't like this one at all. The sort-of-fun moves at the end don't make up for the rest of the climb. We also lowered off the rings and got our rope really badly twisted. I'd not recommend this route, but if you have a go then rap off the anchors.
Glad to see Darin rate it a bit higher than 10b because I thought it was hard compared to other 10a/b's at Cactus. On the other hand, it may have just felt hader because I wasn't enjoying myself.
A couple Alien placements helped de-spice the "balancey" bolt-clips. The guidebook says something along the lines of "when the going gets tough, head left around the corner." However, I felt that sets you up for a pendulum into the corner... especially when heading left at the anchor, which I saw a couple people do. It's a lengthy run to the anchor, and while the hands are bomber, the feet are thin (going straight up, not left), and a whoops might not be such a clean fall. Not a bad route, but I don't think I'd do it again.
By Michael J Yarros From: Colorado Springs, CO Oct 3, 2004 rating: 5.10b
Enjoyed climbing this route. Gets thin near the anchor.
Cactus Cliff
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