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Lovin' Arms 

5.10b/c

   
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Type: Trad, 3 pitches
Consensus: 5.10c A0 [details]
FA: Don Brooks, 1980
Submitted By: Eric Fjellanger on Jun 30, 2008

You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (25)
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Pitch 1 of Lovin' Arms

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Description 

This route continues directly upward from the third pitch of Davis-Holland, and the linkup of these two is considered a classic.

P1: 5.10b - From the anchor, tenuous face holds and side-pulling in shallow cracks brings you to an excellent hand crack. Follow the hand crack up into a mossy chimney that presents many options. A two-bolt anchor lies on the left side of the chimney on top of a small ledge.

P2: 5.10a, 5.10c A0, or 5.11c, depending on how you go - The original route, with a single bolt for aid if you traverse right from the anchors. Pulling on a sling brings you to a crack system; these moves go free at 5.11c.

The more common way is to continue up the chimney for about 20 feet then follow a crack on a ramp that goes down and right to a shallow corner. Done this way the pitch is overall 5.10a.

Either way, from this point continue up a crack in a small corner until some large solid holds become available, then rightward and upward to a mantle onto a large ledge and the anchors.

P3: From the anchors climb up the quartz-like face, past one bolt, to some cracks that will take gear. Hand and footholds are numerous but many are downsloping. Continue directly upward to the anchors, or bail out leftward into the pine trees. This pitch probably deserves an R rating.

For descent, you may rappel the route with 2 60m ropes, use one of many rappel options to climber's left, or walk off easily. To find the trail, go leftward until you find the dirt road, follow it until you reach a steel and cable barricade, and go left. This trail links up with the UTW approach trail, about 3/4 of the way up.


Location 

Starts slightly right of the top of Davis-Holland pitch 3. then slants back left. Two crack systems leave the ledge; LA takes the right one.


Protection 

A set of nuts, a double rack of cams from finger-size to #2 C4, and a single #3 C4 were quite adequate.



Photos of Lovin' Arms Slideshow Add Photo
Rapping off of Lovin' Arms

Rapping off of Lovin' Arms

Nicola Masciandaro on the last few moves of Lovin Arms.

Nicola Masciandaro on the last few moves of Lovin ...

Starting up the cracks on p1.

Starting up the cracks on p1.

Jessica looking down the first pitch of lovin arms on a great autumn day.

Jessica looking down the first pitch of lovin arms...


Comments on Lovin' Arms Add Comment
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By Drewsky
Dec 29, 2008

Free moves are .11b on the 'aid' section and are entertaining thin edging. The final pitch has enough loose rock to warrant a 5.9+ R rating.

By blakeherrington
Jun 30, 2009

Also can be rappelled with a 70m rope when parties are not below you.

By Tod Bloxham
Aug 24, 2009

Great climb and finish for Davis-Holland.

P1 - The double cracks seemed harder than 10b.

P2 - We did the alternate 10c (15+ feet up then traverse right on a hand crack) rather than traverse over to the aid bolt. This seemed much easier than 10c and easier than the first pitch.

P3 - Random easier face/edge climbing, and is easily linked with P2.

If you only have a 60 meter rope, there is a decent way to rap off the upper town wall using both the Heaven's Gate and Golden Road Anchors:
-Walk climbers left over to the top of Heaven's Gate (The anchors are a little hard to find, but but it is the second bolt line from climbers left of the main chimney/corner; the anchors are down one ledge, past a small tree, then anchors are below this ledge/tree on another ledge at the edge of the wall).
-Rappel straight down 30 meters to next bolted anchors on Heaven's Gate (you will be at the ends of your rope).
-Rappel down 30 meters to the very ends of your rope and pull/walk yourself ~30' over to the anchors on Golden Road (the anchors are not very visible until you are near the ends of your rope, and you will be at the last 2-3 feet of your rope to reach the anchors; there is little to no rope abrasion when pulling/walking yourself over if you position your rope properly).
-Rappel to next anchors on Golden Road.
-Rappel <30 meters to a ledge 15 feet off the ground (ropes will be out of sight down an overhang).
-Scramble down off of the ledge after pulling your rope.

Be aware! These are full length rappels on a 60 meter, so if you are unsure of your rope length, walk off instead (or bring a 70 meter or double ropes).

By Ian G.
From: PDX, OR
Aug 30, 2009
rating: 5.10c A0

The last pitch has a major loose block right below the tree. Pulling it off would put it right on your belayer.

Also a 70 meter rope does not reach all the way down to the first pitch. You will come up about 10 feet short. My partner found this out the hard way.

By Jeff Woodward
From: Boulder, CO
Jul 30, 2011

Additional rap beta:

With two 60M ropes, you can rap all the way from the top of the route to the top of Davis-Holland in one rappel. You'll have about 6 feet of extra rope at the end.

By Jon Nelson
Administrator
Aug 24, 2012

I agree with Tod above. The second pitch seems much easier than 10c. The traverse part is probably 8+ and the crack-face climbing to the ledge seems like 10a.

All three pitches are a blast. The jamming on the first pitch is fantastic -- nice fingerlocks and hand jams.