Hard Day at The Orifice 5.12b
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| Type: | Sport, 1 pitch, 60 feet |
| Consensus: | 5.12 [details] |
| FA: | Eric Fazio-Rhicard, Ted Waldor 1996 |
| Season: | Spring, Summer, Fall |
| Submitted By: | WSnyder on Feb 7, 2006 |
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It's a looong way down.
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Description Follow the general directions given to get to The Fortress but don't go down the gully. Just as the trail starts down the east side of The Fortress follow the ledge around the left side and you will find a safety cable. This cable will lead to another cable that will guide you safely down to the climbs.
The Orifice is in the running for one of the mountains best sport climbs. This route has a huge exposure factor (laugh at your friends when they get needlessly scared), some great jug hauling and enough technical climbing to keep it interesting. A hard start leads to a large orifice which serves as a rest before the real climbing begins. Sign the guestbook while you rest in the hole. Figure out how to get out of the hole and then do the technical crux. Now jug haul for a ways and get ready for some final action before it mellows out for the finish. Follow the bolt line to the right near the top for the original (easier) finish or cut left (harder) for another letter grade worth of fun.
Protection Bolts, Chain anchors
Climber in the middle of the route.
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Climber exiting the orifice!
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Matt Birch lowering off of Hard Day at the Orifice...
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EFR just after the Orifice. It is July and 97 deg...
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Vince in a 5.13 that has seen no red-points since ...
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Mikie Elias just out of the Orifice and into the c...
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Mikie battling for the onsight.
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Never complains, not worried about falling, not a ...
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Yours truly at the redpoint crux. This is one of ...
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Some fine Team Take memorabilia long kept in the d...
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Clayton deep in the Orifice.
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Ian on the big cross-through coming out of the Ori...
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The Hard Day king swing... at night!
Smaller than ...
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| Comments on Hard Day at The Orifice |
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By jbak
Feb 27, 2006
| A strong contender for best pitch on Mt. Lemmon. |
By WSnyder
Mar 10, 2006
| For a thrill and a reward after you redpoint take the big swing. After cleaning the route, climb up on TR to the second bolt or higher and take the swing out over the canyon below. Mandatory at least once. Make sure your belayer doesn't lower you too soon so you don't hit the ledge when swinging back in. |
By 1Eric Rhicard
Jul 7, 2008
| Let me apologize first to all of you that I have given beta to. It was not the best way to do it. The route is now only 11d, just kidding! Anyway, I used to do a kneebar to get out of the Orifice but today I watched a guy who is only 5.8 pull it off without coming out of the top of the hole. He made it look easy so I tried his beta. No need to be a contortionist any more. Really cool actually. |
By Geir
From: Tucson, AZ
Sep 8, 2008
| Thanks, Eric and Ted, for this incredibly burly, fun, unique route. Thanks, too, to Vince, Josie, Pete, and Marie for yelling me through the final crux! Great fun! |
By Jerry Cagle
From: Tucson, AZ
Sep 9, 2008
| Hundal, you're getting too big fer yer britches... |
By Red
From: Arizona
Sep 11, 2008
rating: 5.12b
| Nice send Geir! I was on the south wall of the Fortres when you had your victory YELL! It could be heard for a mile I'm sure. You met me up there that day. (Luke) Good Job! |
By Geir
From: Tucson, AZ
Sep 17, 2008
| thanks red and jerry! it was awesome! |
By Joe Kreidel
From: Tucson, AZ
Jul 16, 2009
rating: 5.12
| Why can't I give this one six stars? Such an incredible climb! |
By Red
From: Arizona
Sep 21, 2009
rating: 5.12b
| I finally got it on Saturday! 09-19-09 Amazing line! |
By Jon Ruland
From: Tucson, AZ
Sep 27, 2009
| SEND BABY WOOOOOO!!11ELEVENTY!11 |
By Geir
From: Tucson, AZ
Sep 30, 2009
| nice job red!!!!!!!!! |
By 1Eric Rhicard
Oct 4, 2009
| Way to go Red! It looked like you were close last time I saw you up there. |
By Geir
From: Tucson, AZ
Oct 20, 2009
| HUGE congrats to Jon Ruland for his recent send on this classic climb!!!!! Jon gets the award for developing such strength so quickly this summer. Way to go Jon!!!! |
By Red
From: Arizona
Oct 23, 2009
rating: 5.12b
| Thanks Geir and Eric! Eric, I ended up sending it that last day I saw you up there. I told you all when you left that you were going to miss my send! lol Everyone had a great season at the Orifice wall this year! I look forward to it again next summer! For now it is Homestead season! See you all out there. |
By RyanJames
Feb 24, 2010
rating: 5.12b/c
| I didn't think rock climbing could be any better than this... until I got on Orifice Politics to the right. |
By Hendrixson
From: Tucson, AZ
Sep 15, 2011
rating: 5.12b
| I've been mulling over whether this route can be led on gear. I believe it might be possible.
Sling tooth (~2nd Bolt)
Cam in pocket (~4th Bolt)
Cam in flake (~6th Bolt)
Cam in flake undercling and/or nut in eye pocket (~8th bolt)
Cam and/or nut in deep crack (~9th bolt)
Nut from redpoint crux (~10th bolt)
The start is the most questionable part. The tooth might not be deep enough and a fall before the second piece might result in a ground fall. Still I think it might be possible.
Thoughts? |
By Geir
From: Tucson, AZ
Sep 16, 2011
| It would be bold for sure. I am not sure the flakes would be strong enough for those cams to catch a fall. |
By JSchultz
Sep 19, 2011
| John sent Hard Day after a few sessions of work for his hardest redpoint to date. Cruised it. Congrats John!
It sounds like he wants to do it on gear now... |
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