finishing up the route so the rest of us could to...
Description
This route is under the large roof on the right side of the crag. The bolt line is directly below the roof going to a 2-bolt anchor. The crack that I mentioned is about 10 feet left of the bolts.
If you take the crack (.7), follow it about 50 feet up and then traverse right to the second-to-last bolt. Continue up through the tricky lip to the chains.
The bolt line seems like the normal way, but I've seen two books show two different lines. Follow the bolts on the face. There's an undercling at the second-to-last bolt that is about to pop... be very careful!! Pull up through the tricky lip to the chains.
There is an A1 aid line past the anchor. A bolt on the ceiling of the roof gets you started. I have no idea what's up on the other side, but it looks overgrown.
Protection
I've seen two variations of this route... first by the bolt line and second by the crack 10 feet to the left of the bolt line. If you take the crack, you will need some small cams (0.75 and below) and a maybe a couple medium stoppers. The bolt line requires 5 quickdraws. Two-bolt anchor.
Nice route, three stars. The opening mover are a little commiting, so place a small(#0 metolius cam or small nut) in the horizontal below the first bolt. After that great hand/foot matches will get you to the top. Give it a try, great climbing!
Great Route, good idea to place small cam but you can stick clip it (thier always seems to be a perfect stick close by) [also] agree 3 stars! Anyone know if the roofs been freed yet?
Get ready for some quality mantling. If you are of shorter nature, the first bolt might be tricky. The undercling is still there and felt solid. Enjoy.
Just climbed it yesterday. I really didn't find it to be very great. The moves aren't really that exciting and the line is not very impressive. The bolts didn't seem to be placed logically. ie: The second bolt doesn't have a move worth protecting and the last bolt makes it seem like you should climb straight up when the belay and moves are to the left. It was certainly worth climbing once though.
Well I don't know, I think this is a wonderful route. If the bolts don't seem placed just right it is probably because it was most [likely] bolted on lead where the best stances were. [Maybe] not though. I find it a challenging route. Placing a small nut prior to the first bolt is in my opinion probably useless except for some [psychological] support it may give to gain the bolt. It may hold a fall, but I never counted on it. Again, does anyone know it the roof has been freed?!!!
Climbed this last weekend, very delicate between the third and fourth bolts. One person in our group took 3 short whips on a #0 Metolius cam below the first bolt.
By Curt Nelson From: Fort Collins May 21, 2007 rating: 5.10a
The little flake above the 3rd bolt broke off last summer/ fall. It is definitely a little harder at this spot now, 10a? Use your feet and a little crimp and move for the jug above you. Good route, a nice warm up for Lizzard Warrior which is just to the left.
Rossiter (or is it Gillett?) calls this S. It felt pretty exciting (and pretty hard) making the moves past the 3rd bolt and up to the roof. Don't blow it after you get the jug. We placed a good Crack'n Up above the small cams to more or less TR the first move. A Ball Nut might go in a little lower than the Crack'n Up. You can get some other gear between the first and third bolts if you carry some small cams.
A little clarification on the bolting: all of the routes at Combat Rock were drilled on lead, which can be hard and scary. (In fact, on "Blood for Oil" a skyhook popped just after I drilled the hole, and the hot drill bit burned/ripped deeply into my thigh when I fell). That's why the bolts aren't always set in the best place for future climbers, and it is one of the disadvantages of lead drilling. Also, on some of the earlier "sport" routes, there was a lot of pressure not to use too many bolts, and in those days most climbers had a lot of trad experience so they were used to runouts and climbing with control.
That said, G.I. Joe Does Barbie (my partner Bill Taylor wanted to call it "Bombs Over Baghdad" after the first Iraq war, but I led it so I overrode his name to pick another bad one...) is pretty sketchy off the ground, especially for shorter climbers, and now it might be sketchy above the last bolt. I (as the first ascensionist) grant permission for someone to add one or two bolts to make this route more modern, safe, and fun.
Pearl Harbor could probably use an extra bolt too, up high where I used to place a Lowe Ball and a funky, horizontal #3 Friend (I think).
Craig Luebben
By Guy Humphrey From: Fort Collins CO Feb 22, 2008 rating: 5.10a
I hope there is not a big rush to add bolts to this route. You can place gear before and between the first 3 bolts. The beauty of Combat is the runout feel to the routes. The crux's normally have good gear nearby, but you need to know how to place gear and run it out on easy ground.
Craig, I appreciate the willingness on your part as the F.A. to allow the addition of a bolt or two, but I hope no one does add them to the route. Back in 1993, this route was the first "legit" 5.9 that I ever lead. It is a great route as is, with a great name on great granite. In its current condition (4 bolts and some hard to get trad gear), the climb does not have an R rating. If the moves to the first bolt are "too comitting", then I would rather see someone stick clip it or something. For the record, I just happened to follow Pat Ackerson up this route yesterday. I think it is 10 a/b with the flake gone.
Combat Rock
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