Home - Destinations - People - Partners - Forum - Photos - What's New
 ADVANCED
Illusion Crags
Show routes:
Select route...
Arm Forces 
Corner's Inquest 
David Copperhead 
Deez Guys 
First Lady of Magic 
French Bulges 
Magician's Hat 
Mirage 
Slight of Hand 
Who Deany 

Arm Forces 

5.9

   

FA: Joe Herbst, Nanouk Borche; 1973
Type: Trad
Consensus: 5.9 [details]
Length: 1 pitch, 120 feet
Views: 653 page views

Submitted By: John Hegyes on Sep 18, 2005


Add Photo  Add Comment 

You and this route  |  Other Opinions (7)
Your todo list:
Your stars:
Your rating: -none- [change]
Your ticklist: [add new tick]
 Printer Friendly View

BETA PHOTO: Arm Forces


Description 

This route is located on the far left side of the Illusion Crags, about 15 feet right of French Bulges in a prominent right facing corner that features three roofs. The route starts on a small belay ledge at a yucca, just below some bushes. Ascend the corner, working some cracks on the left side and then pull the roofs. Very fun.

There is a two bolt anchor above the third roof, with some slings you can rappel off the route - a 60 meter rope reaches to about ten feet above the base of the climb, but the downclimbing from here is easy. Watch out when you pull your rope, there is a high potential for snagging it in a crack.

Or you can continue past the bolts, up easy terrain, and walk off right down the first gully.


Protection 

Standard rack



Photos of Arm Forces Slideshow Add Photo
Arm Forces long shot

BETA PHOTO: Arm Forces long shot


Comments on Arm Forces Add Comment
Show which comments
By 10b4me
Nov 28, 2005

My guess is that the climb is named "arm forces" because of the arm bar needed to finish the off-widthy second roof. I was able to place a #4 below the roof and a #3 in the roof. I might have liked a #3.5 instead but the #3 held me when I fell just after pulling over the lip, so it certainly did its job.

By John Wilder
Dec 26, 2005
rating: 5.9

Definitely take a #3 and a #4 for the middle roof (crux) and sling them both long to reduce rope drag.

Be very careful pulling your ropes. The lower-most roof is a rope eater- the crack there is perfect for snagging a rope and not letting go! I had to climb up and hang on a piece for a couple of minutes to rescue it, and then I had to down climb the thing! Spooky!

Great route- a definite classic, I'm shocked it is not done more often.