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Dangling Fury 
Dark Obsession 
East Face/Achean Pronouncement 
Electric Fountain Crack 
Lingum Direct 
Northeast Arete 
Third Eye 
Yoni 

Electric Fountain Crack 

5.8

   
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Type: Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 80 feet
Consensus: 5.8- [details]
FA: Bill Briggs and Kristina Solheim, 1970
Submitted By: George Bell on Oct 7, 2003

You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (4)
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Nearing the end of the lower grubby section of the...

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Description 

This route is quite good for the top 40 feet but the lower part is grubby and unpleasant. This route lies on the west side of this rock, and climbs the crack at the left edge of a detached pinnacle, the Lingum. We approached the climb from below by bushwhacking past the Achean Pronouncement and soloing up a loose steep section (3rd class) to the base of the crack (not recommended).

However, a better way to do this climb is in the middle of the East Face route. At about the end of the 4th pitch of that route, you can look down this crack. Rappel ~80' from an anchor in the notch north of the crack, or set up a toprope anchor at the top of the crack and rappel off that.

The climb itself is only about 80 feet long. The crack starts out rotten and vegetated, this section nearly earns this climb a bomb rating. Trustworthy pro is difficult to find here. Eventually, though, you are climbing a nice clean 4" crack. The upper section of this crack seems made for #4 Camalots and it you want good pro I'd take two of them (a #3.5 doesn't fit most places). I only had one #4 but felt pretty safe walking it up the crack. The crack is low angle and featured enough that no serious offwidthing is necessary, and you can climb it entirely by liebacking and using face holds.

The climb ends on the knife-edge summit ridge at a fixed piton. To get off from here continue up the ridge and around the east side of the summit block. You can bag the summit from here by climbing the final pitch of the East Face route (on the South side of the summit block).


Protection 

Light rack plus Camalots #1-#4. It would be nice to have two #4 Camalots.



Photos of Electric Fountain Crack Slideshow Add Photo
The final moves.

The final moves.

Warren demonstrating with his expression that this is not an offwidth!

Warren demonstrating with his expression that this...


Comments on Electric Fountain Crack Add Comment
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By tongmengjia
From: Fort Collins, CO
Aug 9, 2009
rating: 5.7+

The crack is wider than it seems. Especially near the top, it was too wide for my #4, so I had to run out the last 20ft or so. Pretty secure climbing, though.

If you survived the overgrown bushwhack approach up the gully, then the beginning grubby section shouldn't seem bad at all. It's fairly short and the climbing isn't difficult. After that, the crack is clean with good quality rock.

Wish I had my camera yesterday, this climb looks beautiful from Satan's Slab.

By Aaron Martinuzzi
Aug 10, 2009

Ditto on Tommy's post, with one exception - the cam we had (#10 Powercam) is the same size as a new #4 Camalot, so bring an old style #4 if you want to protect the crack's wide sections.

By Jason Haas
From: Broomfield, CO
Aug 10, 2009

Sorry if the beta in my book felt off to you as there should have been a comment in the intro that all the cam sizes refer to the old Camalots (I'm old school and not a fan of the new #4 as it's too small). Hopefully the rest of the beta was good though?

Jason Haas

By Aaron Martinuzzi
Aug 10, 2009

Absolutely, Jason. I've been running around The Flatirons quite a bit lately with your new book in hand. Excellent work!

By Hank the Tank
From: Golden, CO
Aug 10, 2009

Oh GOD! #10 Powercam, #4 Camalot old style, new style. Gotta be time for a pinkie, eh?

By Aaron Martinuzzi
Aug 12, 2009

What's a pinkie?

By Tom Hanson
Aug 14, 2009

The two smallest tricams are called pinkies.

By Aaron Martinuzzi
Aug 14, 2009

Right, is that what Hank's actually referring to, though?