Is it 12d? Is it 13a? This is yet another Rifle slash-rated route that has spawned endless campfire grade bickering. Due to severe boot polish it's probably become 13a over the last couple of years.
This fine route climbs the deceptively hard groove/dihedral feature out right of the Anti-Phil. It originally ended at the top of the corner below an imposing bulge, but Kurt quickly moved the anchors up once he realized the quality of the climbing to be had through the bulge. There are some huge perched flakes above the anchors -- Don't go near these! In fact, don't even breathe in their direction or think about them -- as recent shedding in the Arsenal can attest, Rifle often falls down without any help from climbers.
Start in the well-trampled dirt area below the center of the wall (there is a rotting picnic table here) and boulder up and right along a pocketed seam which leads to the face at the base of the corner. Tricky, slippery moves take you up into the corner, which eases up the higher you get. Rest well before the finishing bulge, a powerful, technical affair on nice brown and black stone that has spit more than one climber off (it's a long ride).
This is a nice line with something to offer everyone...a bouldery start, nice technical dihedral, some endurancy jugs, and a powerful roof at the finish. Lots of foot movement in the middle of the route where the dihedral is; some flexibility, and trusting of your feet is essential-very high polish factor. There is a great rest on jugs before the final roof, and then two right knee bars through the roof that are key-wear a pad. The first one will help you clip the first roof draw (long draw may be helpful), and the second kneebar will help you clip the next draw (which is the last clip). Take your time here, you'll probably need it for the final throw to a good jug. I did find the rock near the bottom (2nd or 3rd clip) to be just a little crumbly, but seems like it is done breaking. As for the campfire debate, sees solid at 13a.
Well, if there ever was a question of this route's grade, that's probably solved now that the glued on softball-sized right hand sidepull undercling thing at about 25 feet was yarded off over the 4th of July weekend. Probably not .12d now, as this certainly didn't seem to make the route any easier...
Anti-Phil Wall
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