Fisting Jon (AKA Leafspring) 

For me this type of climbing is almost ungradable. It could be and .11 or it could be a .9++. All I know is that it was a ton of fun and cut me up good. Guess I have to work on my technique! I would love someone else to get on this and tell me what they think.

Also, if anyone has any FA info that would be great! John???

Jon...you are insane!!!! LOL
Did you finally send it?

I was lame this weekend and went to the s. but and humphreys and climbed in the sun, the scabs on the backs of my hands had just healed (after a month)so I should have gotten on it. My last lead go I fell at the lip and was absolutly shattered and had a hard time on moderates the rest of the day. Hopefully before winter it'll go.

What!!!?!?! Sounds great...any pictures?

Dave when i originally saw this route posted I thought of you, i know you like these style of climbs

Nope, no pics. My camera has been dead while we've worked this badboy. 4-5 of us have given several go's on lead with no success yet. The initial grade we gave it was .10d and as our attempts are thawrted we are bumping the grade up to were it is now. Please give it a go to help confirm the grade. I think i listed the pieces above, but if you have an old green bd 5 it doesn't set as well as the WC 6 does but it does fit. The bottom protects well with the 3 pieces. Right side in down low is not worth trying. Left side in is the way to go, and when you switch sides you have to cut your feet hanging off a rattley left hand jam and just hang there for a moment. It's a wild 16'!

Isn't there a hard project somewhere on this wall? Not that the crack you're talking about isn't hard. I'm talking fun-hard, not heinous-hard.

There are 2 'bolted' lines that look cool to the right of the ow. The bolts are suspect from the ground and they would need hangers. Like the rest of this short wall they are very overhanging. I may do some maintence on one of them and see if it'll get some traffic. There is also a kinda crappy/loose looking trad line up and obvious eroded dike.

Went to take a look at it...the bottom section looks plenty fun, but the upper crack looks horrendously dirty and mossy. Looked particularly unpleasant right after a rain. Surprisingly, the OW section was dry-ish. We didn't climb it, though, the top of the route turned us off.

Awesome photo David! The top is cruiser fun even if mungey, It would be a 3 star .3 if it started on the ground and was clean and make for a great first lead. Right as you transition out of the wide you have to hit a flat block that is a little mossy, but at that point anything feels easier. Glad you went and looked.

got a clue why its called leafspring?

I'm gonna downgrade this to 9+ 'cause NO WAY Ozzie climbs hardwide !

pinkpoint 2 weekends ago, sunday I thought i had it even with the sopping rock and fell from the exit moves. So close... New grade .11b/c

Got so close to onsighting this yesterday that it hurts...I was too pumped to hang on to the leafy, dirty jug at the lip.

Setting up and turning around to pull the lip is some of the hardest climbing I have ever had to do.

I used a C4 6, 5, and 4.

I think the grade of .11+ is accurate, just for simplicity's sake. Jon, I agree that personally speaking, this kind of climbing is pretty much ungradable.

NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had a funny episode the last time I was on it. I brought a buddy who is a fairly solid .13 climber who blew his onsight and luckly for me was too tired for a second go. Dave, did you get on it again. Still waiting for the FRA! Woo WHO!

No, I don't think I'll be able to get on it for another 2-3 days...partially because I can't make it to NC, but mostly because after the onsight attempt I feel like I ran into a brick wall. Repeatedly.

And I am definitely not a 5.13 climber...

Bill Lowther and Ozzie put this route up. There was a wedged car leafspring at the bottom, where someone had tried to quarry the flake. They bolted it,I believe using a car jack to hang on while drilling.
Billy invited Jr. and I to flail on it. With the bolts we got up it with some laybacking(not likely now, since a local removed the bolts!)I know I hung,but Jr. may have sent, too long ago to recall for sure.

I did this yesterday placing all gear from the ground, and believe this to be the first ground up gear ascent.

I didn't clean the upper slab as the dirty jug and munge are part of the character of the route. I left a piece of static line and a rap ring on the tree above the slab.

Chris

After much discussion and some confusion, it has been determined that the climb known as Leafspring is the detatched flake at the right side of this crag. The climb discussed here has no history. Its now called "Fisting Jon," for Jon Howard, of course.

chris got me to try this climb a couple days ago, thanks chris! going back friday to send this pig. super fun .11 climbing. you will feel like you got hit by a mac truck when you get off this thing!

nice job guys! Stick with it Jon, you'll kill it. Chris, happy now...

great photos. did i hear that you flashed it, jason? great job.

Yes, I'm proud to say that I got it first go. I had been wanting to try it for a while, so i was stoked to finally have my chance. Good, unique climb for the area. And yes it does challenge the body in a very physical manner!