By Tony B From: Around Boulder, CO Oct 29, 2006 rating: 5.11a
| If you go directly up on the route, on the left of the arete and don't go right after the weird little roof, it is darn hard. I can't say just how hard, because I fell off with my feet on a lie-back off of a nub on the arete almost level with my right hand on the flake, while my left hand was vertical upward on a nasty crystal, At least 5.12... I don't know, but darn hard. If you don't try to force the issue and do go right, to the right of the arete, the route is *not* so darn hard. I saw that way and actually avoided that thinking the route should be a lot harder, so I figured the right side to be "off route." I'd be hard pressed to give it 5.11 at all, let alone 5.11b. But that's strange, but cause I am not a good micro-edge climber and I usually find Demallie's routes stiff at the grade. Good god, like "King Of Pain" on Shirt Tail Peak! Anyway, if you do the route as a single pitch, which is far and away the best way, take a red Camalot for a meter below the pin, clip that, the pin, then go up to the ledge, and skip the anchor. Clip the first bolt with a 1' draw and continue. A bomber #3 Camalot fits right about where you'd want it in a line for the rope, all bolts considered, but in reality it is only about 3 feet above the last bolt and getting to the next bolt is not hard climbing. I placed it to dump it more so than to use it. You don't need it at all. You will want a 2' sling for that weird bolt placed way out left that could have just as easily not been way over there, then finish on the arete... A good route if done in a single pitch. Your second has to follow because the anchors are NOT placed for a lower-off. You can't clean on rap if you want to pull your rope in the end. |