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Routes Sorted
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Boy Scout 
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Gill's Crack 
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Ice 
In Search of the Lost Libido 
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Slut For Punishment 
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Twin Cracks 
Weasels Ripped My Flesh 

Gill's Crack 

5.10c

   
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Type: Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 80 feet
Consensus: 5.10c [details]
FA: John Gill, onsight solo
Submitted By: Tom Anderson-Brown on Aug 10, 2003

You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (28)
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Jan Brown on his first ascent of Gill's Crack.

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Description 

Gill's Crack is a strenuous route up the steep west face of Gill's Buttress. Start out by climbing about halfway up the slab of Boyscout (rt 57). When you reach the waterstained rock with a faint crack, begin your ascent up the face to your right. Thin moves near the bottom transition into finger jams and laybacks about 20 feet up. The crux, in my opinion, occurs just before the depression in the rock that leads into the hanging dihedral. A fun route!


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Photos of Gill's Crack Slideshow Add Photo
Gill's Buttress

BETA PHOTO: Gill's Buttress

Jay Knower on lead 7/26/09

Jay Knower on lead 7/26/09

Jay Knower on Gill's Crack 7/26/09

Jay Knower on Gill's Crack 7/26/09

I cleaned this up for you Jay. Where these taken with a cellphone or something?

I cleaned this up for you Jay. Where these taken w...

Melissa.

Melissa.

Melissa.

Melissa.

Rhoads sketching (his words) on Gill's Crack lead for A. Burr's lens (top left photo)....

Rhoads sketching (his words) on Gill's Crack lead ...

Photo by Andrew Burr.

Photo by Andrew Burr.

Literally the second I heard my finger blow up. Photo by Andrew Burr.

Literally the second I heard my finger blow up. Ph...

Josh onsighting Gill's Crack.

Josh onsighting Gill's Crack.


Comments on Gill's Crack Add Comment
Show which comments
By Dave Bohn aka "Old Fart"
Aug 10, 2003

Wow, another great example of Devil's Lake sandbags in the old days. I climbed this multiple times 71'-73' and my guide called it F9b and I thought it right on for Devils' Lake. (Not counting having to get my buddy rescued after his knifeblades pulled on his lead attempt) Another "Must Do" Lake classic!!

By Steve Sangdahl
From: eldo sprngs,co
Aug 12, 2003

first lead:Jim Ericksonfirst top rope: ???

By Steve Sangdahl
From: eldo sprngs,co
Aug 12, 2003

sorry ,my other guide says first lead John Gill ,solo 1962.

By Stephen Schaefgen
Aug 13, 2003

The guidebook is wrong (as usual). First ascent was done by Gill, as Steve has mentioned. I did an article on some of his classics at Devil's Lake, including Gill's Crack. I interviewed John for said article. Ascent was solo, in boots, and in 1958 or 1959 (the years he completed the seven routes I had asked about--1958-59 was the answer).

By Jay Knower
Administrator
From: Plymouth, NH
Nov 28, 2006

I heard the following story: Gill attempted to solo this route and when he got to the crux, he botched his sequence. He fell, but managed to land, cat-like, on the slab of Boy Scout. Without returning to the ground, he climbed back up and completed the route. Since he stayed on the wall and did not return to the ground, his fist ascent was considered an onsight despite his fall.

By randy baum
From: Minneapolis, MN
May 24, 2010

i second the route description. fun moves on varied rock (don't forget to look out right for some features).

take a purple TCU for the first piece, IMO.