No climbing area should be considered complete without the chance, at least once, to wrestle an [alligator]. On Scout Rock, the chance arises with Rawhide. Begin Rawhide approximately 75 ft North of the road up the drainage that marks the West end of Scout Rock. Rawhide is the obvious, wide chimney on the main crag forming the right hand side of the drainage. The problems begin after the third clip and involve a very wide stem (!) and three clips leading into the crux. A one-move-wonder mantle delivers the 5.11c crux at the fourth bolt and a chance to chill before launching into the squeeze chimney. Two stars for the bullet proof rock, variety of climbing, and the continuous fight.
Protection
QD only. This 85 ft route needs about 10 draws and a 60 m rope. There is a three bolt anchor at the top that allows for a convenient top rope and minimal rope drag.
This is not an attempt to stir the flames of agitation any more than they have been, and what follows is only a minor detail that is probably best solved between climbers. The issue concerns defining when uncovering holds falls into the unacceptable domain. At issue is the climb Rawhide that was originally freed at 5.11c. Subsequently, a bush was dug out from beside the crux, and this uncovered a good edge that allowed the route to be done at 5.10c. As 5.10c it is really fun, and no one is going miss another Jamesia americana bush. However, the line was done originally by simply clipping backsome branches and doing the obvious move. So, is this a big deal? No, of course not. But if the line can be done with some of the natural vegetation intact, is the better course of action simply to do the harder move and leave the bush alone? I believe that removing the bush and uncovering a new edge only served to make the line easier since the bush was not particularly annoying.
I want to add fuel to another fire. To all the "headpointers" out there. Please be up front with your ascents of those routes. How many times did you toprope the route or the crux, how many pieces of protection did you pre-placed (sounds like a sport route), how many holds did you clean and how much loose rock did you remove? I do admire a hard on-sight lead of a x-rated route, I think the amount of time one practices on a route does diminish the feat. I don't think Steve Wunsch top-roped Jules Verne and then went back and led it. What would have been the point? Back in the day that would of been a no-no and for good reason. Most of the climbers back then would have waited till a better climber came along to do it on sight.Thanks Bob D.
To start on this climb, is one supposed to climb up the wide groove, do the wild stem (which is not bad for tall people!) to get to the base of the crux move, OR is the start just to the left, climbing the thin, chalked up, difficult looking crack? We did the former, seemed much easier than doing that crack...PS agree with the 10c rating with the edge exposed from the bush removal.
I believe a key crux hold (left hand, downward jutting hold) broke off and made the crux moves harder. Or I might just suck. Either way, the crux seemed much harder than the 1st 2 times I've done the route. If you're climbing this route for the crux, you're in it for the wrong reason as the chimney and ensuing moves are really nice.
Scout Rock
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