This is the Slam Dunk Move that signifies the star...
Description
Barracuda was one of the first 5.13ds in New England and it remains one of the best. The very top holds a move so devious and frustrating that a complete send of Barracuda is quite rare. Urban Surfer, just to its left and the same grade, receives at least twice as many ascents as this technical and testy line.
Start just right of Urban and climb through very steep rock until the Slam Dunk Move, a big throw to an unseen jug. It's possible to rest here. Then enter the corner, which is the technical crux of the route. Many different ways have been found to do the corner: all are weird and involve pretty bad holds. The climbing eases as you get higher and a sneaky stem rests allows you to think about that final crux.
This is the heartbreaking top crux, a throw to the lip. There are rumors that a climber slipped a disk in his back trying the older toe-hook beta on the upper crux. Though the beta has evolved over the years, it still requires serious body tension. Once you stick the lip, top out before clipping the anchors.
Parts of Barracuda are climbed by a few different routes/link ups:
Concrete Jungle (13c) starts to the left of Barracuda, on Urban Surfer, and finishes with Barracuda's upper crux.
Cold War (14a) starts on Barracuda, climbs through the corner crux, and then heads out left onto Urban and its long upper crux, thereby avoiding Barracuda's top move.
Catch and Release (13b) starts on Barracuda, climbs through the corner crux, and then takes a hard right to Maui Wowie's anchors.
Super Urban (13d/14a) climbs Barracuda to the Slam Dunk Move and then moves immediately left into Urban Surfer.
Waimea
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