Kick in the Balls 5.8
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| Type: | Trad, 2 pitches, 350 feet |
| Consensus: | 5.8- [details] |
| FA: | Josh Thompson, Marc Hemmes, Brian Kosta Fall 1998 |
| New Route: | Yes |
| Submitted By: | J. Thompson on Feb 18, 2004 |
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Description As one looks up and left (climbers) from the top of Lotta Balls wall, you will see an obvious crack splitting an varnished buttress...voila!! Scramble to the base, from the top of LOBW.Start from a nice ledge at the base of this obvious crack, the crack starts off fingers and goes to #5 camalot size on the first pitch. Belay from 2 bolts on the left side of the crack- 5.8. Pitch 2 Upward!! Continue up the wide crack to the top of the buttress...there is a flake that creates smaller gear placements about midway up the pitch-5.8.Descent: it is possible to descend down either side of the buttress, both involve downclimbing and, depending on one's downclimbing abilities, possibly rappels. If you choose to go down the gully to the west you will join the standard descent for LOBW. If you choose to go to the east you will have to do some circutious route finding.
Enjoy!
Protection SR, up to a #5(old style) camalot- Big bros are not needed.
| Comments on Kick in the Balls |
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By Chris Wenker
From: Santa Fe
Apr 23, 2009
rating: 5.7 R
| I was really grooving on this crack, all the way up to the roof that caps the chimney, halfway up pitch 2. Then I found that the two toaster-oven-sized blocks that form the left side of the roof are dangerously loose and ready to drop out at the slightest pull (they shifted when I just barely touched them). Then I couldn't get off this climb fast enough. Beware. |
By J. Thompson
From: denver, co
Jun 4, 2009
| Chris....Roof that caps the chimney? I'm confused....it's been awhile but I don't remember a roof?
josh |
By Chris Wenker
From: Santa Fe
Jun 5, 2009
rating: 5.7 R
| Well, OK, not a 'roof' per se (i.e., not an overhung feature that sticks out from the wall). Maybe my memory's a little fuzzy on the details, but at, or very near, the top of the chimney on P2 there's a horizontal band of rock, or maybe a wedged block, that sort of caps the chimney top. That's where the scary looseness occurs (I can't pinpoint the exact spot in any of the available photos on MP). I was already way runout from my last #6 Friend, so it was a little sketch. From there I remember leaving the ever-widening crack behind and heading slightly rightish to avoid the looseness, then back left to continue up the lower angle face/buttress to the top.
I think trundling out the loose blocks would require making sure that no one is going down the LBW descent at the same time. |
By J. Thompson
From: denver, co
Jun 8, 2009
| Good to know. It's been quite awhile since I did this climb. I didn't remember anything loose...but memories fade and things change. Thanks for posting!
josh |
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