Dancing Madly Backwards 

dancin madly backwards is at the "old" sandstone area

First lead by Dave Groth.

I just got an email from an anonymous person saying the first lead ascent of this climb was done by Steve Sangdahl. I don't want to start any fights, so if the person who sent the email would like to post a comment to back up their claim, please do!

The first lead of this was definitely by Dave Groth.

The gear on DMB is actually very solid. I led it this summer after leaving the Lake for a while and forgetting all the beta, and the climb accomodated my fiddling in the wrong pieces of gear. It is strange to lead a route at the Lake that is not completely wired into oblivion.

Double ropes are helpful because of the wandering nature of the climb, but the cruxes are very well proteced by bigger gear(#2 and #3 camalots). If the leader can stomach some easy runout climbing ~5.6 for 10 feet or so at the start and after the roof, and if the leader knows how to use double ropes, this climb is a very safe, enjoyable 5.10 lead.

If anyone cares, Tommy D did the first ascent, and Dave Groth did the first lead sometime around 1983-84.

Leo Hermacinski

I just lead this route after going at it 3 times on top rope. I was pumped towards the end before the 2nd crux and put my weight on pro just before the final moves.There was a bit of rope drag, so I gave myself big slack to finish last thin moves.

Overall:0. Good intro into 10s in the park. Except 2 moves in 2 places, it is mostly like 5-8 - 5.9 on quartzite. Those moves are far easier than the Gargantua crux (also 10b in this area). 1. The double rope is very useful on this climb (I used single).2. Be careful on lead as the huge flake under roof actually moves!!3. The route is not probably drawn correctly on the photo here. It actually goes more right exactly after the right end of roof to join the obvious crack running leftwards to the top. Going this way seems easier.

I was wondering if the crack above and right of the roof was considered "in". It looks like the natural line but I was told that it wasn't part of the climb. Any comments?

As long as you don't go into Curving Crack, I think everything else is legal. The crack above the roof is not part of any other climb, and is the natural line of DMB, in my opinion.

This is one of the best routes up here.has a differnt feel to it.

A second hold has been broken off of this climb this spring (the first was freshly broken last spring). There are now two, bright clean spots on the first ten feet of the ascent. It doesn't really effect the climb, sinde the bottom is so simple anyhow; but it's a reminder to folks not to climb on wet sandstone early in the spring.

I am pretty sure I did the first ascent(first lead that is) in 84. I asked around at that to make sure it was accurate.

Dave Groth

A stellar lead with gear right when you want it. Avoid all gear on the lower portion of the route as I'm fairly sure it wouldn't hold a fall anyway. The final move (crux for me) is really fun on the sharp end. I'd toproped this in the middle of last summer and lead it just recently without any gear beta or really remembering the moves. A competent 5.10 leader on the quartzite should have no trouble dispatching this climb. Get out there and lead it.

I think this route is a good lead, but a heads-up one at that. The rock at the bottom is pretty sketchy (a big flake broke off recently) and Ian's right that gear would be worthless at the start. Once the roof is reached, the gear is good, but I think the climbing up to the roof gives this route a PG 13 rating.

This thing is PG13 on TR if you take the bats living in the underclings under the roof into account...

Ahhh, I think it bit me!!!

It did bite me!

There is a direct version to this that starts directly below the right side of the roof. Book says 5.11a.

The direct has been led. A small Metolious Master Cam to start and a very good #1 a few feet higher to the left, then run it out to the roof. The holds on "The High Life" are off. Using them would take in a different direction anyway. Just stick to the face on some slopey crimps and little pockets. Two out of four stars for this variation. 5.11a R due to the decking potential going for the good gaston into the roof.

I extend the "Congrats" to you as well Nick! Nice lead.

My second edition guidebook says 11c for the direct.

Is 11a from the new third edition?

You're right, book says 11c. I think it's more like 11b maybe. 11a would be fair for DL standards though.

Dancing Madly Backwards is a song by one of my favorite groups of all time - Captain Beyond.

I have one of the original copies of this album with the 3-d picture on the front.

Led the direct. Have to disagree again, Nick. I'd give it an X, as both cams I got (yellow C3 and #1 Met) were shallow enough to maybe pull. Though maybe the crashpads brought it down to R...