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December Wall
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I Promise Not To Cam In Your Mouth 
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Crown Molding 

5.9

   

FA: Bernard Gillett, Paul Bodnar 2006
Type: Trad
Consensus: 5.9 [details]
Length: 1 pitch, 80 feet
Views: 105 page views

Submitted By: Ivan Rezucha on Mar 22, 2009


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The second crux is the overhang.
Photo by Kenny Pa...



Description 

Crown Molding is a stout warmup for routes on the main December Wall. The initial corner is sustained and treacherous with small gear. A fun bolt-protected hand traverse leads to a bolt-protected ceiling. Above an easier but awkward, right-angling crack leads to the anchors.

Re-reading Gillett's description, we may have missed a final optional finger crack.

It looks like this climb has only been climbed a couple of times. The chain anchors were brand new with no sign of wear from pulling ropes.

From the anchors, you can toprope the first two thirds of Door Jamb, the 5.9 chimney to the right. Because of the rope angle, you get to avoid the upper part of the chimney, which looks like even less fun than the bottom. The slab to the left of the upper part of the chimney is climbable to the anchors at 10 something.


Location 

The easiest way to find this is to start down the descent trail from the Life After James area. Immediately, contour east below a short wall, over a shallow rise, to a shaded wall by a tall pine tree. The chimney in the left facing corner is Door Jamb. The right leaning, left-facing corner to the left of the chimney is Crown Molding. If approaching from below, look for the buttress to the right of Life After James and aim for some pine trees diagonally down and right of that. To the right of Crown Molding is a more prominent wall with lots of ribs and gullys.


Protection 

I used a bunch of microcams and a nut or two, plus a #3/blue Camalot in the upper crack. There are several bolts along the hand traverse and one for the ceiling.



Photos of Crown Molding Slideshow Add Photo
The first crux is the initial corner, all the way from the ground to the ceiling.<br />Photo by Kenny Parker.

The first crux is the initial corner, all the way ...


Comments on Crown Molding Add Comment
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By Rich Kelly
Mar 22, 2009

Near the top of the right-angling crack is a shallow, thin crack corner which is the intended route. It serves up some fun 5.8 climbing leading to a ledge after 30+ feet. The anchors are on the wall behind this ledge and are not visible till you reach the ledge. Note that you can only slingshot this route with a 60m (or longer) rope.

By tooTALLtim
From: Boulder, CO
Jun 13, 2009

This climb could take gear well, especially after you lead the start...