BETA PHOTO: The Smear of Fear on 30 September 2006.
Description
This is the obvious smear to the right of Stettner's Ledges dihedrals. If it reaches the ground, climb directly up. It's usually pretty thin down there when it reaches so be ready for 40' of unprotected climbing. If the Smear doesn't reach, climb in via diagonal thin cracks on the left. Pitch one is the crux either way. Belay above the overlaps from old bolts if they're not covered. Set up an ice belay otherwise. P2 cruises up rolling terrain to a belay under the large roofs. P3 may or may not be there. If it is, follow the ice.
Descent: Rap the route using pins, bolts, v-threads. There can be rock anchors on the right side for 2 x 200' raps. From high up, it may make sense to diagonal over to Stettner's for the descent.
Protection
Stuff to protect a finger crack (Cams to 1"), Spectres, short ice screws, 17cm ice screws, pins.
Climbed the Smear on Tuesday. The bottom is not fat about 1/2 thick. We opted for the 5.10 traverse in from the left. I try tooled it and thought it to be about M5 or so with not great gear. I left 3 pins and 1 nut as they were pretty good, but don't treat them like bolts as they were hare to get and test. Where I hit the ice from the traverse it was about 1 inch quickly growing to take 11 cm srews then 13's shortle thereafter. Thin and delicate to pull the overlap then grade 4+ to the top. The ice is still well bonded the the rock but sublimination is starting to eat it away. The last pitch is now missing, starting at the upper dihedral. I think is normal though. A great route. The snow conditions were good for walking but be aware of wind slabs near the route as they are growing quickly.
Went to the Smear yesterday to see if it had come back in at all...and the answer is nope! The section below the second roof has no ice at all. It's gonna be awhile...maybe even next season.
Don't think the Smear is going to happen this year guys. It is rumored to have been done, but that is quite unlikely especially considering the party that is said to have done it. The route has looked like it is going to fall down for about a month with no new ice in that time period. Two Estes locals climbed a new route near the Window last weekend. It is said to sport a couple of pitches of very steep ice and mixed. No word on how much new snow is up there after yesterday, but things are definately begining to sublimate away above tree line.
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