One of the best boulder problems anywhere. Great rock and great movement. Start standing with your right hand on the arete and your left hand on the undercling/pinch hold on the face (shorter types may have to stack pads to reach the best spot on the arete). Squeeze hard and get your feet onto the boulder, then start moving up - either left or right hand will work, though going with the right hand first definitely favors taller climbers. Sometimes a heel hook is used on the left. After these first couple moves to get established on the obvious sloper on the face and the better crystally feature on the arete, the difficulty eases off a bit. Deadpoint to the high crimp on the face and work to the top using a heel hook on the arete. Mantel it out and celebrate.
Note: this can also be done from a sit start, at around v12. Start sitting at the obvious holds on the sloping ledgy bit, grab the pinch/undercling with your left hand, bring your feet up high and turn in to make a huge, controlled move to the arete. Then finish the stand start.
Location
On the Swirly Boulder, this is the big, blank-looking, 45-degree overhung arete on the backside of the boulder.
Protection
Pads and spotters - the topout is a little high; not bad but there are some ankle-twister roots under there.
Blair Woods
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