The kneebar in the middle of the route is good eno...
Description
How about six stars on a three star scale? Smack dab in the middle of the Anti-Phil is a pounded out bit of turf with a dozen killer lines firing straight off the turf. Easy Skankin' is in the left side of this cluster. Scramble up a bit to the first clip and follow a complex face to a grey/blue head wall. The route never gets very steep, although it feels as though it were a bit past vertical most of the way (the rope can't lie however, and the net gain in angle is pretty small). Pick up some remarkable polished pockets in this grey sector. If you still have the guns, power up past the first double bolt anchor on more cruxy (5.12a?) moves to a second anchor where the rock turns tan in color. With excellent stone, high continuity, and loads of power Easy Skankin must rank as one of the best for its grade at Rifle. If anyone climbing at Rifle still climbs lowly 5.12s, then this is a must do. I get itchy hands just thinking about those upper pockets.
Protection
Bring 12 to 15 draws and a 60 meter rope. This route can be done as a short variation with a 50 meter rope or continued (best)- with the 60 meter rope necessary for a single rap to the ground.
Richard Wright's comment about the route being "lowly" is decidedly tongue in cheek. This is a great line with fantastic steep moves on great stone - the only problem is that you won't necessarily get much time to work out the moves. Hordes of 5.13 climbers line up here to do an "easy warmup" before they move on to "real routes". Everyone will get pissed at you if you try to make their cruiser warmup into your all-day project.
Re: the previous comment. If you want to work a 5.12 project at Rifle, or anywhere else. Go ahead. Put up the draws and work on the moves for as long as your belayer will allow you. Sure, there are people that may use your route as a warm-up. Hell, Sharma warmed up for Realization by doing a 5.13 barefoot. But no one (that I know) is going to tell you to "hurry up" or "get off their warm up". Enjoy your route.
Richard's comment is pretty much B.S. (or maybe he's kidding... I can't tell). If you want to project Easy Skankin' go right ahead... its among the best routes for the grade at Rifle. It isn't a jug haul so its a poor warm-up for a climber who projects the other 13s on the wall. Come to think of it, the anti-Phil is a poor crag to warm-up on for anyone (that is who aren't pulling 13+).
Anti-Phil Wall
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