Grapefruit Dance 

Hey Dan and Jeff! This is Paul Kelly in NH. What's up? Jeff Mead told me to check out this site. This is good stuff when you've got nothing to do in study.... Later, guys.

What's up, Paul? Been climbing at all?

My brother Jeff repeated this route a couple weeks ago, and the crux bolt (actually a drilled pin) is missing. I'm not sure if it was chopped or pulled out or what, but it's not there. So, now if you biff the crux, you'll take quite a fall, but you shouldn't deck. He still did it, in any case....

So... in which book is this route 12b?

I've always seen it graded .12a or .12b, usually the latter, in several guides. The one I own is the Soft Touch III guide, which I believe gives it .12b.

Why...do you think it's easier? or harder? Always seemed about on for me....

I was just wondering if the route was 12b in any book really. I thought it was a 12a that packs a punch. Good little route worth doing.

The drilled angle at the crux has been replaced.

I heard the hand hold above the dyno move broke some time ago (pre - '99?) improving the hold above, from which you clip the fourth bolt. When I did it (sometime around '98 or '99), I thought it was about 11d, but I didn't get it clean, either.

I don't think it broke, but I could be wrong. The jug changes all the time, becoming slopier or juggier depending on the wear.

Grapefruit Dance now has new modern anchors...stainless steel bolts and descending rings. A special thanks to Climbing Magazine and Petzl for donating the hardware.

There is a hold on this right now that is marked with a white chalk X. Anyone know what this means? Is it a loose death flake or something?

The X is a bad place to do anything with. Someone needs to pop it off very soon.

The X is ready to break but not needed...the problem is the bees that live in that flake that are the problem.

A foothold broke at the crux. This may change the difficulty, or it may not depending on what sequence you use.

The X doesn't need to be popped off. If you don't want to use it, then don't.

F.Y.I.: first pin has pronounced movement. Falling here will eventually become interesting.

Large undercling above first bolt has broken off, doesn't affect the grade, but the foothold that was there is now slightly more to the right. Still a little movement in what's left, but should be solid for a while.

The first pin is gone. Definitely a death route now...smarter pro in a situation like this seems acceptable. I climb in The Gods a lot and have trusted many of pins similar to the one missing, and although I respect the 1st style, in situations like this, safer gea. IMO is logical in order to enjoy the integrity of the climb.

The first piton on Grapefruit Dance pulled out last week. We replaced it today with a glued-in angle piton. I looked at replacing it with a glue-in bolt, but the hole right now, with a bit of work, accepted another angle better.

We also looked at the mechanics of belaying GD. Most belayers sit away from the wall, so when they catch someone falling on it, an outward force is exerted on that first piton which undoubtedly led to it loosening and eventually pulling out.

Besides this replacement, we also replaced the first bolt on Big Sky on Grey Rock, which had also pulled out, a couple weeks ago.

So we got on this route today and accidentally pulled off part of the jug for the second clip. We left the hold at the base if anyone feels the need to epoxy it back on. We both did the route afterward and it didn't feel any more difficult. The clip is pretty easy from the next hold anyway. Sorry.