Excellent friction climbing on this one. Bolts close together at the crux make this a good one to taste 5.11 slab for the first time, but it does take climbing a section of 5.9+ or 5.10 slab with pro far apart to get there.
p1) Clip the low bolt and make an awkward move (5.10) onto an easy ramp (this 5.10 section can be avoided by starting farther right, but if you want to avoid this move, you'll probably be better off avoiding the rest of the climb too). A directional piece above this move is beneficial to protect the follower. Ascend the easy ramp up and left to a ledge below a slab identified by the fixed pins in the slab (pro available in finger size cracks along the way and before starting the slab). Build an anchor here, unless you have reason to do the climb in a single 60m pitch.
p2) Start up the slab, clip the first piton, work left and up on thin slab to the 2nd pin (5.9+/5.10 R) It's rather heady between the pitons but they are bomber. A few more moves gain a diagonal crack, and you get more pro, any cam 1"- 3" works. An intimidating but easy move puts you within reach of the first bolt on the final slab headwall. The well-protected face gets blanker and blanker with the hardest "surface tension" moves passing the final bolt (crux).
An intermediate belay at the ledge below the pitons and/or the final headwall is recommended to reduce rope drag, although I found it tolerable to climb the whole route in a single 58m pitch- a good idea if you have 3 people.
Location
Start below a single bolt about 10' uphill and left of Yikes Dikes on the west side of the north face of South Rock.
Protection
1 bolt down low, then 2 fixed pins, then 3 bolts, to a 2-bolt anchor, with some of your own trad gear in between..
1 60m rope works to descend the North side in a single rap. Find the center.
Great route and thought provoking as Paul and Bob noted. The crux at the last bolt is well protected and you could spit on the summit, but I always fall there just within a few feet of success. That really sucks because you know you have to climb the run-out part again.
By Jason Halladay From: Los Alamos, NM Aug 12, 2008 rating: 5.11- PG13
Williampenner wrote:
The crux at the last bolt is well protected and you could spit on the summit, but I always fall there just within a few feet of success. That really sucks because you know you have to climb the run-out part again.
Exactly my thoughts! I was psyched to have gotten through the lower run-out section only to come off two moves from the top. I'm still working up the gumption to get back on lead of that pitch again. When I was leading through that run-out "pins" section I specifically remember thinking, "Why the hell did I sign up for this?" I loved it!
By David Baltz From: Albuquerque, New Mexico Aug 12, 2008
The first ascent was actually by Paul Horak, Mark Leonard.
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