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Closed areas, from March 3-July 31:
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Bronson getting psyched for the crux!
Description
A good toprope problem or fairly scary lead. Hagakure is on Hen and Chicken Rock, the small buttress directly below the SE corner of the East Owl (about 100 ft high, w/ a pointy summit). The approach trail which branches left about 1/4 mile up the Gem Lake trail leads directly to it. The route starts in the large left-facing corner on the right side of the rock (Cackle Crack). Branch out left in a tricky 5.11 crack after about 10 ft. Reach a small ledge, rest and continue up a right-angling seam, with some fixed pitons (crux). Rappel from a fixed anchor or continue on Cackle Crack. You can scramble up to a ledge below the summit block to set up a top-rope off of gear, but it is almost as easy and much nicer to lead Cackle Crack to the same spot.
If debating whether to lead or to TR this, you should consider leading because the TR fall is a nasty cheese-grate swing into the Cackle Crack dihedral at the 11a crack. The pitons at the crux are close together as well which are really not that bad, but old. Really tough crux.
Gotta disagree with Nate's comment. Taking a fall on top-rope is neve an issue but falling on those old pins up top could be. I pulled one out with my hands last summer. This is a great and perfectly safe top-rope.
By brent armstrong From: Closer to RR than the Strip Apr 19, 2003
I have fallen from every conceiveable spot on this route both leading and TRing. The falls onto the pins are short, even if you are really punching trying to send. Listen to Stephen though, check that they aren't falling out. TRing is just fine, a little swing, but not like messing up the King Swing on the Nose or anything.
I personally file the term "bad toprope fall" in the same genre as "tough clip in the gym". If your worried about either...play on playa.
Oh I need to mention...I replaced the pin that I pulled out but its disappeared since....I'm not sure if its back or not? Brent, can you remember if the center pin is in or not?
All and all a fun little route...too bad it isn't longer it would be a classic!
Put it this way: if you're up to leading this route safely, then the toprope fall should not bother you *at all*. It's nothing. I've toproped this route many times...I'll probably never lead it. The pro is OK if the pins hold, but you have to trust super-small gear in pin scars to back them up.
The middle pin is gone. You can cobble your courage for the crux moves to the upper pin with some "voodoo" gear in the old pin scars. The crux is really thin, powerful, and the gear???
We went up and tested some of the gear the other day--on toprope. There are a couple of fairly good #0 Metolius TCUs near where the old pin used to be, right where the crux starts (there is also one in the middle of the crux, but it takes up an essential finger jam). Equivalent sized Aliens might work even better, we didn't have any. We tried to place RPs and small stoppers but couldn't find any good ones where the pin used to be.
There is also a *really* good stance for placing the TCUs--good considering that this is a 5.12. The 2 pins below this can be backed up with a great stopper, so you won't go more than 15-20 feet if the TCUs blow, probably 5-10 if they hold.
A purple TCU or RP fits great in the finger slot right between the two pins. You can use a sloper on the right side of the crack instead. Either way...tough 3 moves to the rail!
Hen and Chickens
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