Hip, Hip, Hurray 

Hip, Hip, Hurray is an excellent, steep (!!!!), and powerful route on nearly perfect rock. That Mark finds it closer to 12b than to 12c or 12d may reflect my presently bum hip and now diminished flexibility or simply his having caught too much sun at this crag. This route is steep, or did I already indicate that (?), really steep. What look like good edges from below turn out to be very hard to use and super finger intensive. Even the one slolt is hard to use. After six months of bouldering on plastic, I'd call the moves V4+ to start, V5, V3, and V6 to finish on a sick mantle that pitches you out over the steepest part of the arete. If that doesn't stack up to 12c/d it's hard to imagine what does. By reference, H3 is at least as hard, or harder than Amazing Face at the Bowling Alley in Boulder Canyon, and every bit as good.

Does anyone know the beta after the 2nd bolt? I've tried a dyno up the face. What about going off right towards the arete? HELP!!!

Josh: first, forget going to the arete until two bolts higher. If you've done the hard move to get your fingers in the horizontal slot, the next move is a l-o-n-g reach with the left hand to a good edge. The key for a static reach is to start with both feet on good holds and then stem the left foot way out onto the wall of the dihedral -- then you'll be stable (long legs help). Otherwise, you'll have to toss for it and keep from swinging off. Clip carefully off the jug one move higher. Have you done the upper mantle?

That also sounds about the way I have done it, Mark. I do remember quite a lock off to reach the hold. But I do not think I used the other wall for feet! I have quite a reach though (6'2", +4" ape). Josh, I will try to dig up a pic or two of my sequence.

And as far as the mantle?! The way I did it was the way a monkey would a football!

This is a fun route and provides tons of entertainment, both for the climber and the spectators. Watching people mantel over the nose looks just like it feels, and is hilarious to watch. The rating may be height-dependent, I wouldn't want to make that long reach in the middle without every inch of the 6' I've got.