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Harder than it looks!
Description
This route is not on [Twin Owls]. It lies on [Gollum's] Rock which is directly east of Twin Owls. This is a smaller cliff about one hundred feet high. Approach as though going to Hen and Chickens Rock and when next to that cliff look east 100 yards to find an hundred foot left-arching, aesthetic crack, this is the route.
This is a great one pitch crack climb that begins with a 5.9 fist crack through a bulge then widens considerably for thirty feet. This section doesn't require any offwidth technique as there are [decent] face holds around. After the wide section, the crack narrows down through all the sizes to fingers at the end. At the end, either traverse left to a belay, or continue over a poorly protected 5.9 roof.
This is a very sustained pitch with no single crux. It is given .10a in most guides, but feels [definitely] harder.
Protection
This crack goes through several sizes, bring a couple #3 Camalots, and at least two #4 Camalots to supplement a standard rack.
To get to Hen and Chicken Rock, where you need to be to break off east to Gollum's Arch Rock, hike the Gem Lake trail for about 1/4 mile (past a giant boulder), then take the approach trail for Hen and Chicken and Bowels of the Owls. The crack is pretty obvious from the base of Hen and Chicken Rock.
I don't think I'd upgrade this route. 10- seemed about right for me. Lots of face holds on the lower part. I thought the crux was where the face holds run out and you have a few wider (very deep hand jams) moves before you can start working the stem. I thought the roof protected fine - save a hand sized pieces and a 2 foot runner for the horizontal crack under it. I exited right and it was really only one move of 9.
It's a crack dudes, jam it! Still 5.10- in my book. Bring plenty of big stuff,and you can get enought pro at the 5.8 exit roof to lower off a Cadillac. S.Kimball.
Well, climbed it and loved it except for the fact I only took doubles in the big hands. Here is what you will need to place gear every 6-12 feet. (2/3)#4, 4#3, 2#2, 1#1, 1#.75 Camalots. Be sure to save one #3 for the roof. Placed some smaller Aliens before the traversing out on the face to attack the roof, which looked intimidation but turns out to be a pussy cat.
10 b/c? I don't think so. I did this route in 1987, and I found it to be 5.9+. The roof and lack of protection at it are over-rated. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice route, but no where near as hard as the author is rating it here.
Ratings are a mysterious thing. I did this route earlier this year and flailed at the crux, hanging, [grovelling] and finally lowering. The same summer I waltzed up the Nose on Sundance, Xanadu and another 10 at Eldo last weekend. If the climb is not hard 10 as described here, I just didn't get it.
So what Renny, I did this in '76, and I think the grade holds through. An excellent route and don't be afraid of the roof. If you can make it that far, you've got the guns to pull it no problem (I thought the roof was 5.8). Enjoy !
Old fart, my criticism is of the 10b/c rating given by the author, and his assessment of the difficulties and protection at the roof. Now we all know ratings are subjective. Look at it this way. This route is 10b/c, and Crack of Fear is rated 10d? No way. Both these routes are mis-rated. When you did this route in '76 you climbed it without active camming devices. Hanging around that much longer to get good pro, yes, I'd call it 10a then. As I said before, it's a nice route. I'm not trying to belittle it.
Perhaps I am a wuss or a terrible offwidth climber, but I got on this route expecting 10a, and it felt harder. I definitely would not recommend a new 10a leader get on it.
Gollum's Arch Rock
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