Eyetooth 

Another classic route. It reminded me of the Sierra Nevada due to it's rock and alpine flavor. We did it as one LONG pitch with double ropes, but I did experience some nasty rope drag on the upper friction face. On the presumably original line, you will achieve the "shoulder" as stated in the above description (more of a ledge and the begining of the nice face), run up a great layback flake (runout above the ledge, traverse left to a fold with a pin in it (manky), continue up and left to knobs, traverse to west side where another old manky pin can be found, then above and right (south face again) to the last face passing two new bomber bolts to the anchor. You can find an RP placement between the two old pins and maybe sling a couple knobs as well. Bring one set of nuts, medium sized cams, a few RPs, and lots of slings (including several shoulder length). Avoid a loose death block about 40 feet up and next to the first layback area (if you end up starting where I did that is...).

On the SW (Tusk) side of Eyetooth, a nice 5.6 (?) crack leads up to the ledge, and can set a belay there. Full rack.

Anchor bolt on the right is loose. Not just the hanger but the bolt itself wobbles.

This is a scary lead, the pins (especially the first) do not inspire confidence. My partner and I agreed that if the first pin was removed it might leave room for a nice alien placement.

eric

Anyone have beta on the route most people take? We missed the first piton by climbing up the twin crack system to the left of the belay ledge, but felt harder than 5.8. We climbed directly up from below the climber here but on the rappel we saw the first piton we had missed by going the way we did. If most people clip that one, it looks like you would need to start on the huge layback flake to the right of the belay ledge at the top of the gulley. In any case, great route, no matter how you get up. The twin cracks protect reasonably well, but going that way you miss a pin, FWIW. You can do the route with one 60m rope, split into 2 pitches, first pitch ends at the top of the gulley at the belay/rappel horn. However if you get your rope stuck when you pull it on the second pitch you might wish you had 2 ropes.

Not surprising that the bolts on the summit have loosed up. The rock up there is as I recall very grainy. Almost like the hole top is exfoliated (like there are micro air pockets).

Are the old pins still up top. The old rap off of 2 pins in behind a very exfoliated flake never inspired confidence. I always brought along a big sling for the summit as a backup anchor.

Then I would send everyone else down with the backup in place. I figured if the pins had just held the other guy I could expect to live also.

The approach was cool and the position was good, but the climbing on this was very mediocre. P1 is a class 4 chimney with a bit of either more chimney or a barb flake to finish. P2 starts from a platform below a dirty crack (committing move to get established above the belay) and only turns into good climbing (and only 20 feet of it) once on the crystal encrusted face above. I'm glad to have climbed it, but expected far more from a 4 star rated climb.

After reading comments above, I we definitely climbed the twin cracks Chris mentions. Stick to the flake and maybe its 5.8 and a better climb.