Damper 

I would not have called this an Offwidth. I would have called it a fist crack. Rack up to a #4 camalot, but until the top (belay anchor) the biggest thing I used was 3.5". The belay anchor can be set with a small tricam (red, I think it was) + a #7 rock and a #4 camalot. The downclimb is a little scarey for some, so if you are with less advanced climbers, please consider letting your partners rap off of the anchor and then down-climb alone.

two stars. if you don't like sustained jamming, less, but if you do, it's quite fun.

Middle of the road 5.9, unless you have very small hands. Small female climbers who may have to stack hands or arm-bar.

In my opinion this is probably the best route on Chimney Rock and a mandatory lead for those working their way up the grades on cracks. I agree with Tony that (at least for Men w/ average sized hands) this is a fist crack in a flare more than an OW. Also agree that the downclimb is probably not best for people on their first weekend of climbing, though by the same token this is not a good climb necessarily for a first time climber :)

Good burly fun! Nothing larger than a #4 needed, but #3.5 Camalots would fit best.

We had 50+ mph winds on the day we did it, and didn't feel like the sketchy downclimb in the breeze. Instead, we climbed up and over and dropped in to the top of the Flue - where there are rap anchors. 4th class the entire way. We had to navigate around some boulders, and through a squeeze gap, but it was fine.

Definitely a fist crack, even for my slightly smaller than average hands. Yes, there are wider sections where I placed pro (as to not block the better jams) but I don't remember a point on the route where I didn't have fist jams I could hang singly off of. 5.9 seems fair, as does 2 stars out of 5. Good, but too short to earn any more.

This is one my favorite climbs at hidden valley campground. i like wide cracks. it was cupped hands for me and used a fist a few times. others have said they used fists for most of it. feet are tough as you enter the crack then it eases off. very enjoyable.

excellent overall! just wish it were longer.

Fun climb to do at the end of the day - felt pretty cruiser for 5.9 since I have big hands. bring a couple nuts to back up a comfy belay seat at the top, or a couple 2-3" pieces to use the crack at the top of Pinched Rib. Tricky walk-off

The first guide (Wolfe's) described Damper as F5 (5.4) " A jamcrack in a large dihedral near the south end of the west face provides a short beginner's route. First ascent: unknown."


It was one of my first leads at the Monument and proved to be quite exciting. One each 4", 3" and 2" bongs. Stiff old school boots do fit better than modern shoes though.

You can avoid the downclimb by heading over to the bolted rap anchor for The Flue.

super nice fist crack. solid lead. the guidebook only gives it one star but I'm a sucker for a nice crack so I give it 2.5.

Fun climb. All I used was a 3.5", 3", and then a 4" to, in my opinion, safely protect this climb. I made an anchor in the horizontal flare which has a couple notches that hold a 1" and two 2" well (all cams are camalots). Two of the three cams for anchor were good, one not so good, so I slid a #9 stopper in the small constriction about three feet down hill for extra backup. I decided to add this anchor beta because I don't even know anyone who owns a #7 so that might be as useless to know for you as it was me.

Walk off sucks so I opted to rap. The anchors at the top of The Flue had only one quick link as of 12-02-2012. You can continue further and rap off the anchors for Blind Ambition which has chains.