MD ascends the south face in two reasonably moderate pitches.
P1, 70ft, 5.10, begins on the ledge above the abondoned marble quarry. Easy climbing to the 5th clip where things get lots smaller and hard to see. Beta: at the 5th clip cut right and then shift back left to a stance above the clip you just passed. The pitch stays tricky until the anchor. I found myself climbing a bit right of clips and then shifting back left a couple of times. Hand holds are hard to see, but every clip should feel stable.
P2, 50ft, 5.10 has more of the same type of climbing but has been bolted a bit more closely. The first three clips are tricky with inobvious hands, but things ease off significantly after the 4th clip.
The name: anyone who climbs slabs will be damned, particularly by all those mothers who want their childern to grow up as normal and well adjusted human beings.
Location
South face, 20ft right of Scott Sills' black hanger route and left of the large gash that forms the most obvious feature of the south face.
Protection
Ten draws and a 60 meter rope. It is possible to rap to the ground with a 70 meter rope. However, two raps will get you down easily with 60 meter rope.
There's a decent variation to the first pitch of this line that has been top roped. Climb to the first set of chains on Maternal Damnation to set up the TR. Start in the mine hole that sits below and right of the normal start, and maneuver out the obvious overhangs on huge jugs (5.7); begin right of the shot holes. The rock is of better quality than one might imagine (though it has been subjected to dynamite blasting, so be cautious). Continue more-or-less straight up a line of crystals that dies out as you advance up the wall (5.9+). Stay right near the top, and then traverse 5 feet left to the anchors. Or, go wherever you wish; you're on top rope.
If people report that this is worthy of turning into a lead climb, I may add bolts (anyone else is free to do so as well). It seemed a little bit squeezed to me (there are better plums to pick in any event), so maybe it's best to just leave it as a top rope -- no need to bolt up every available inch of real estate up here.
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