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Ladder Routes (Humanality Area)
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Humanality 
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Humanality 

5.10d

   
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Type: Sport, 5 pitches, 300 feet
Consensus: 5.10+ [details]
FA: Greg Collum, Trevor Massiah
Season: in the morning
Submitted By: Dave Holliday on Dec 9, 2006

You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (41)
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Alex following the 3rd pitch

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Warning Stainless-steel bolts are suspect near the coast. A rebolting effort is underway. MORE INFO >>>

Description 

Great route with amazing exposure on the crux pitch. This route gets afternoon sun so it's best done in the morning. It's also very popular so an early start is recommended.

The pitches are thus:

p1: 6a (10a) Climb out right from the cave and then straight up about 20m. Do an easy hand traverse left to get to the belay anchor.

p2: 6b (10c) Climb straight up from the belay anchor. Many people seem to use some big stems towards the top of the pitch but there are other ways to do the crux. Once you're on easy terrain you'll see two anchors. Head to the one up and to the left.

p3: 6b+ (10d) The money pitch. From the anchor climb straight up past about five clips and then start a rising traverse to the right. The wall eventually steepens and the holds start to disappear and progress would seem to be thwarted. All is not lost: look behind you and use the obvious feature. You'll know what I mean when you're up there. A couple more clips and a small traverse past the last bolt gets you to an anchor in a small cave. It's well protected from the sun but is extremely slippery.

p4: 6b (10c) Make some hard moves right off the belay and head straight up for about 20m to the next anchor.

p5: 6a (10a) We didn't do this pitch and it's apparently not frequently done. The rock quality is suspect and because it traverses the descent is made more difficult by doing this pitch.


Location 

The route is located on the Tonsai Wall and starts near the Freedom Bar. Since the route doesn't start on the ground, a couple of approach pitches are required. The guidebooks indicate that the route is approached by climbing a banyan tree about 50m left of the route and then traversing right. The preferred way now is to climb the ladder by the bar, head to your left before the second ladder, go up through a cave, and then traverse to the left (clipping a couple of bolts along the way) to a belay anchor. One more approach pitch is required. It's rated 6a (10a) but felt harder to us. Climb straight up past four clips and then traverse right about 20 feet to a belay anchor in a cave. You're now at the start of the route.

The descent: we descended from the top of the fourth pitch and did two single-rope rappels to get to the anchor atop the second pitch and then one double-rope rappel to the ground. The last rappel will put you on the patio of the Freedom Bar. The route can be rappelled with a single 60m rope but it's a pain to do it that way.


Protection 

Bolts. Take a dozen draws and something for the anchors. The route has been completely rebolted with glue-ins and I don't remember clipping any expansion bolts along the way. The anchors are fully bolted and have equalized slings with rappel rings. We used a 60m rope. I doubt a 50m would work for the descent.



Photos of Humanality Slideshow Add Photo
Chris descending the last rap of Humanality

Chris descending the last rap of Humanality

Following the 4th (crux) pitch of Humanality.  I really enjoyed this climb, and did it 3 times in the month I was there.  Photo by Manny.

BETA PHOTO: Following the 4th (crux) pitch of Humanality. I r...

Freedom Bar from 400 feet up.

Freedom Bar from 400 feet up.

Another shot of the exciting stem move.

Another shot of the exciting stem move.

Starting up the last pitch.  That's a lot of water down there.

Starting up the last pitch. That's a lot of water...


Comments on Humanality Add Comment
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By susan peplow
From: Joshua Tree
Dec 20, 2006

Unique route and worth the wait to get on it as there is often a line. As described, use the tree to gain access to the starting ledge. The start is part of the charm of the climb. Thankfully, I was convinced into leading the crux pitch. I was fortunate to climb the route with a guy who had done it before and knew I'd regret it if I didn't.

By Chris Perkins
From: Avon, Colorado
Dec 24, 2006
rating: 5.10

I was told not to use the tree as it is considered sacred. Climb the ladder and traverse up and left thru the small cave.

By Stan Pitcher
From: SLC, UT
Oct 5, 2007

What a great climb! Lots of fun climbing and spectacular views. Had the pleasure of leading two lovely Austrailian gals up it!

By Brennan Crellin
From: Draper, UT
May 29, 2012

Often hoards of monkeys on this route in the early morning. Monkeys can seem aggressive. People have made the mistake of feeding them. Just pretend that you are calking back a slingshot and they will run away (you don't even need the slingshot), because they have aparantly been shot at enough also.

Rad climb, worth doing even with only a few day in Tonsai. Take a camera, climb in the morning, take a few slings to extend draws around roof out of cave.

By Darryl Styles
Feb 28, 2013
rating: 5.10c

Such a good climb. It see's mega traffic, so a lot of hold are polished yet all are solid. Top pitch is getting better over time. Highly recommend this route. Any finishing off with a fresh coconut jewy is perfect. I found it a Solid 5.10b by Colorado (Shelf Road) and New Mexico Standards.