Interceptor  5.10b

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Type:  Trad, 2 pitches, 220 feet Consensus:  5.10b [details] FA:  ? Season:  Gets all day sun Submitted By:  Tony B on Jun 5, 2010 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (2) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

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Season raptor closures MORE INFO >>> The following areas are closed from March 1-July 31 or until further notice: Twin Owls, Rock One, Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Sheep Mountain, Thunder Buttress, The Parish, Lightning Rock and Checkerboard Rock are currently closed. The closures include the named rock formations and the areas extending 100 yards surrounding the base of the formation. This includes all climbing routes, outcroppings, cliffs, faces, ascent and descent routes and climber's access trails to the formation. Alligator Rock is also closed. www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/area_closures.htm This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

Description 

This is an option up high on the wall that should be seen more as a diversion than a target. There are better climbs to be had, but if you've done everything else, put this on the list.

From the Fang Ledge, which can be accessed via Osiris, George's Tree, Sports Pages, Road Kill, Pseudo Wallet Eater, or even routes as far right as Fat City, find the shallow inset that has the 3rd pitch belay as for George's Tree. Climb up and out left from that into increasingly flaring and increasingly difficult jams (crux) for 20 meters to turn up and over a false summit and then climb another 20-30 meters of lower angle rock with hand-sized gear to reach a belay ledge below a 10 meter headwall. Belay here on small cams and medium stoppers, or continue up and over for a full 70m rope length to the summit on finger and thin-hands cracks (left) or a wider crack (right, take 4" gear) and belay on the summit.

Walk off as for other summit routes, first NE to a gully that is taken down to join The Cave Exit top-out area, then down that scramble/trail.

Location 

This route starts on Fang Ledge directly above the top of Pseudo Wallet Eater. This is in the same little inset as George's Tree, but Interceptor goes out the left side of it into insecure flaring cracks, rather then up the right as for George's Tree. The route climbs a semi-direct line from there to the top of the wall.

Protection 

A standard rack of nuts and cams. Take an extra few thin-hands sized for the flaring thin-hands crux and plenty of 2-foot runners.

The most critical protection you can take, however, is really a set of tape-gloves. The flare would be much more secure if taped-up.