The base of this route has changed over it's history, prompting some differences in opinion about the difficulty of the route, which has waxed and waned over time. In 1991 when the route was bolted, a large tree stood not far from its base. One could stand there, reach up to a hold and hop to a second hand and pull up onto the route. This was the crux and was about middle 5.10. Shorter and less powerful climbers complained about the sandbag.
In perhaps 1994 a huge windstorm and some tornadoes came though the gorge in autumn, blowing many trees across roads and trails. The tree at the base of D.D. was just one more casualty, but it made the route easier... The root system tore out and brought soil and rocks up, and placed a starting shelf at the base of the climb. One could simply step off of these and onto the climb, making any sort of hop-start seem contrived and unnecessary. Some people complained that the route was over graded.
Over time, earth settled, the tree collapsed, rocks were moved and low and behold, the start to this climb has returned, perhaps to a lower point than before? And now I note the latest guidebook mentions a "desperate start" again.
So whatever the condition, do what is necessary to pull up onto the wall over the bulging start, and climb easier, lower-angle rock to the top of the arete out right and rap from fixed anchors.
Location
Follow the approach trail up to the fork in it and take the right side, up past the Nicorette arete. To the right of this a small prow sits just right of the huge right facing corner with an offwidth. The bolted route up this prow is D.D.
By kjdetlor From: Monument CO/ Collegedale TN Oct 14, 2007
toproped the offwidth next to this route, does anybody know what it goes at or what it is called? it felt pretty freaking hard for me, i was thinking like 5.11? anybody know?
The hand and fist crack to the right is Blade Runner (5.7) so I assume you are talking about the left side, a sand-bagged 5.9 called 'Not Worth It.'
By kjdetlor From: Monument CO/ Collegedale TN Oct 16, 2007
i'm talking about the overhung off-width, it starts out as a five inch crack for the first 15 feet, then goes to really wide pod almost squeeze chimney sized, then goes back down to a four inch crack the rest of the way, it can totally share the same anchors as danita, there is no way in hell its 5.9, i've been on easier 5.11 offwidths at indian creek UT.
Military Wall
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