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Gemstone West
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Christian Crack 
Fin, The 
Flail Out 
Gemstone 
Seamingly Hard 
Shoots & Ladders 

Gemstone 

5.8

   

FA: Gary Hicks and Jim Fuge, June 8, 1974
Type: Trad, Alpine
Consensus: 5.8 [details]
Length: 2 pitches, 180 feet, Grade II
Views: 403 page views

Submitted By: Marc Beverly on Nov 19, 2007


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Logan, age 8, having a great day on Gemstone's 1st...


Description 

P-1: Start at the far right side of the Gemstone proper area, just East of the Aid Boulder, and find the large left-leaning off width. The best technique, although it varies for everyone, is to right arm chicken wing the first 3m (poor pro). Otherwise, thrash up to where larger foot horizontals and positive cracks traverse left (laybacking is possible as well).

P-2: From the bolted anchor, continue up the splitter hands crack with poor feet to easier climbing. A multitude of variations end this climb, but you'll find the anchors at the top. Rap the route, or hike down steep terrain to the West.


Location 

As for the description for Gemstone West


Protection 

set of cams and a few medium nuts. 6 alpine draws, 5 QDs. 1 x 70m rope or 2 x 50m ropes. Bolted anchors on both pitches.



Photos of Gemstone Slideshow Add Photo
Ben Goddard on his first 5.8 trad lead. 2nd pitch.

Ben Goddard on his first 5.8 trad lead. 2nd pitch.

Ryan having some fun on the first pitch. This is a nice little area to relax after working through that body jam.

Ryan having some fun on the first pitch. This is ...

Bruce Holthouse on the first pitch of Gemstone. He was climbing the route with his son. October 2009.

Bruce Holthouse on the first pitch of Gemstone. He...


Comments on Gemstone Add Comment
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By Ryan Smyth
From: Albuquerque, NM
Apr 30, 2008
rating: 5.8

The first pitch of this climb is awesome. Getting of the ground is, well, interesting. I usually get inside the crack and and wiggle around. It works. The second pitch is very intersting. I don't remember it too well because it was getting dark and i was cleaning and rushing. My leader had a hard time finding the top anchors, they're a little off to the left and hard to spot.

By Bill Lawry
From: New Mexico
Sep 7, 2008

There are two bolted anchors near the top of the second pitch. Either works for the double rope rap-off. Both are kind of hidden as you approach the top. As mentioned above by Ryan, one anchor is quite a bit off to the left. The other is directly above, nearly in-line with main crack of the second pitch; see a marked up version of Monomaniac's photo on the Gemstone West page.

By mattb19
From: Depends on the season!
Oct 14, 2008

I hated the first pitch and prefer to go up Seamingly Hard instead. The second pitch was fun and had lots of options to choose from. Take a 70m rope to rap.

By Nick Manke
From: Edgewood, NM
Oct 28, 2008

The body jam in the start of the first pitch is quite upsetting to say the least (at least for my lanky ass). The second pitch is much more exciting. The start of the second pitch is a little awkward so be prepared to do some jamming.

By George Perkins
Administrator
From: Los Alamos, NM
Oct 28, 2009
rating: 5.8

5.8 leaders will probably want extra cams from thin hands to large hands sizes, and maybe a #4 camalot on p2.
The wide crack at the start of p1 might take a #6 camalot, but I'm not sure. If you wedge yourself way back in there, falling out probably won't happen, but it's certainly not graceful.