This route is about 50 feet up to the right from "Diagonal" and is just below a small tree on the face. It can be done as one or two pitches. This first pitch by itself is also a good route.
Begin with a great 5.8 flared crack up to the tree. Belay on the right side of the tree at a good ledge if you want to, or continue up on the left side of the tree for one long pitch. At about 20 feet above the tree, follow a small crack with good finger jams going up-and-right. Now test your smearing skills on the face with 2 bolts (crux .10a). Finish above the bolts on a horizontal edge and traverse left to the 2-bolt anchor.
Double-rope rappel to the ground. Another well protected route worth doing. Perfect if you are just getting into 5.10 leads.
Protection
If you do this as one long pitch... bring plenty of cams, no larger than a #1 Camalot. Some wired stoppers are helpful, and there's a couple of spots perfect for a CAMP tri-cam. Also bring 2 quickdraws for the bolts on the upper face. TWO-ROPE rappel (150 ft).
The first pitch is ok for the grade, but the second pitch is great. Worth doing the first pitch to get to the crux at the top.
Second pitch belay is big enough for three people. If you climb it with one rope, you can rap to the tree, but it is a pretty crappy rap to start by getting around the tree..
By Cale Csizmadi From: Colorado Springs Mar 9, 2004 rating: 5.10a
Great one pitch route! All you need is a handful of quick draws some small [chocks], BD-swedges and a few micro-cams. The route makes you think and keeps you on your toes. Gotta love smearing.
I loved leading this the first time I did it. It is a challenging 8+/9- flaring crack. Just a note, the crack may seem fairly easily protected with small nuts or cams but in 2003 I was part of a rescue that hauled someone out after their gear pulled out of the flare. I never did pitch 2, instead after the flare at the tree I traversed right to the belay 10 feet right of the [Diagonal] and continued up routes there.
Note: Read the route description better than I did. I hadn't been on granite for a long time and knew I was going to struggle on this, but after aiding to the 2nd bolt, and taking two ugly falls trying to get to the third, I thought this was the biggest sandbag in the world. I realized later that I had incorrectly jumped on the 2nd pitch of Blood For Oil (5.12a). Sometimes the obvious just doesn't sink in right away.
The Photo of this route is not quite correct. the upper pitch is" No More War "but the crack at the start is a separate route called "Beetle Bailey" and is rated 5.8.
Enjoyable, varied climbing. Very reasonable to link as one long pitch. The 5.9 crack at the start (Beetle Bailey) is quite tricky and interesting, and the upper face crux is excellent. Save a long, thin sling: After the second bolt, you can reach up and sling a perfect horn to protect the last hard move.
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