East Side Story  5.9

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Type:  Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet Consensus:  5.9 [details] FA:  Unknown Submitted By:  Julian Smith on Sep 5, 2005 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (4) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

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Description 

On the east end of Turkey Tail's south face, just uphill or east of Cheap Trick rises the East Side Story. Another reference would be to describe this as the last major chimney looking thing as you are walking uphill from Journey to Ixtlan before the Tail dies out all together. From the chimney start, an off-width forms along the left side of a slab with a right facing dihedral on the left side of the off-width. The off-width/slab leads to a short, but stellar hand crack.

Begin climbing up either side of the chimney start. I think the right side is better even though it moves through a few loose flakes, but that is only because I ran into a few bees on the left side. The bees didn't sting too bad, so I accommodated them by climbing up the right side. Either start will deliver the climber to the same fate. About mid-height the crack widens and a slab forms on the right, with a right facing dihedral on the left of the off-width. Excellent climbing on the slab along with using the off-width thing at your left side will yield the top of Tail, which is much lower on the east end. On your left will be a stellar hand crack, which leads through steeper terrain to a higher tier on the east end of the Tail. Too bad this crack isn't longer, because it is so good. After a few moves with perfect number 2 Camalot jams, reach a nice perch to belay your partner up to.

To descend, locate a tree a few feet to the west that will allow you to rappel back down the south face to the Tail. The route might be a hundred feet tall if that. A 60 meter rope should suffice for rappelling back down with. You may want to bring a sling for the tree. Enjoy.

Protection 

You would no feel foolish if you brought more than one #4 Camalot on this climb. You will feel comfortable with a few #3 and #2 Camalots as well.