Karate Crack 

This is a worthwhile route that is a nice option for crack fans who don't want to brave the zoo at Ragged Edges.

Edit (years later):
Sandbag at 5.9, the FA team rated it 10b, that's about right. Awkward at the start, be ready to climb some rock. Belay is off TCUs in the vertical seam, Nick N's 2nd pitch looks sandy but gnar if you've got time to clean all the choss out of the initial crack on aid before goin for it. I replaced the slings around the tree today (10/11), should be good for awhile.

You have to get a little creative to build an anchor on this one...TRing from the tree would be a BAD idea

There's a splitter vertical crack on the back wall that you can easily build an anchor from. C3s to 0.5 Camalots, and/or nuts.

True, But if you look at it....It sucks....and is very hollow

Short but sweet.

Brad Stewart & I did the FA on this route on 2-25-86, according to an old topo. Brad got the name from a route at Smith Rocks. Several months earlier Brad Ball and I were hiking north past Kilimanjaro 5.10d, when he spotted the route and said that he was going to do the FA solo. He let it go (too long) and, eventually I told Brad Stewart about it - he drew the short straw and got the lead. He graded it at 5.10b and after looking at the backs of my hands, I couldn't argue. Located about 300 yards north of the Outhouse Wall on the right (east) of the dirt road that leads from Willow Springs to the Red Rock summit. Nick Nordblum subsequently added a second pitch and graded it 5.11b.

A great clean line. One of my winter favorites :)

I can agree with those that say 5.9 is light for this. Its been 10 years since I've done the route, but I remember, especially up high that I was pulling pretty damn hard to get the route done. Hand size can make a big difference though. Great route.

I agree on that vertical crack- the right side is hollow. If you keep a #1 for the top, it fits nicely into a shallow crack on the ledge itself and is bomber. This is a nice supplement to the horizontal crack at the back of the ledge.

Calling this .9 is a bit of a sandbag, the crux on this thing is a VERY hard pull on overhanging terrain. The jam is good, but I certainly wouldn't argue a .10 rating of some sort.

What a great little route! The bottom is fairly technical and then you get those sweet overhanging hand jams at the top. Oh, if this one was longer!

A beautiful line - Classic crack climbing - too bad it is so short. Honestly I think the crux is the start, not the upper crack but everything is hand size dependent as I could hang off killer jams at the top and the feet were great. Be sure to have a variety of cams - micro cams at the start, medium small up 15 feet and 2.5 - 3 inch up high (1 or 2 yellow camalots and 1 or 2 blue camalots). You won't need any wires. You can walk 15 feet back from the top and toss your rope under a huge bolder for a great solid belay - no gear needed.

I'd recommend bringing what the Handren book says which is single to 3 and doubles in 1-3. I didn't place what gear I had very well and so I was forced to run it out a little at the top. The route is straight across from the sign that will appear on your left side. Fun route!