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Vise Grips 

Vise Grips 

5.11+

   

FA: Greg Lowe late 60's/early 70's
Type: Trad
Consensus: 5.11+ [details]
Length: 1 pitch, 70 feet
Views: 197 page views

Submitted By: bheller on Jun 23, 2008


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Description 

This is a great route that probably has not seen more than a handful of ascents. As always I am in awe of Greg Lowe's ability- as this route was reportedly climbed without cams or sticky rubber-well before the free climbing revolution. When I did it I cleaned bushels of lichen and scale out of the crack. The rock at the start is pretty bad-both due to nesting birds showering the approach slab in debris in the area and simply being chossy granite in general. Once you get to the roof, the rock improves, the protection is great and the climbing is amazing. I think this route is the best hardish roof crack at the city of rocks- way better climbing than Skinners Roof!(for my big hands) With more ascents it will only get better.


Location 

This route is located on the west side of the building blocks formation. It is the left of the two obvious parallel roof cracks- it is approx 15 Ft long and 35-40 degrees overhanging. You can walk off (a slow round about path you pick down the south west side of the formation that ends with a squeeze chimney- and requires some 5.7ish down climbing) or perhaps it would be better to rap another route if you can.


Protection 

Cams from thin fingers to big hands. No bolts, no anchor.



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By bheller
From: SLC Utah
Jun 23, 2009

This route has been seeing a little bit of traffic these days- it is much cleaner now...give it a go!

By grayhghost
Oct 19, 2009

WOW! This thing is HARD

Great locker fingers and hands on a super-physical roof

An amazing achievement for Greg Lowe