BETA PHOTO: Jeremy leading the second Pitch of Baby, an outsta...
Description
If you can't climb wide cracks, this route will seem a lot harder than 5.6!
From the Uberfall, walk about 2.5 minutes down the carriage road, past the big corner and roof of Matinee, to a huge boulder just below the cliff. Take the access trail just beyond the boulder, and angle left to the cliff, on the left side of the huge boulder. Baby is the striking, widening crack directly above the access trail.
P1: Climb the crack to the wide section. Place a #3 or #4 Camalot for pro, and commit to the offwidth (crux). A #5 is necessary if you want gear to protect the crux; otherwise you're 5-10' above the #3, as you commit to the wide. Continue up the face above to a big ledge with lots of loose rock and a bolt-and-chain anchor. 5.6, 80'.
P2: Climb a left-facing corner and an overhang to the top. This pitch can be sandy after a recent rain. 5.6, 60'.
You can rappel with one rope from slings on a tree back to the top of the first pitch, then rap from the bolts and chains to the ground. Alternatively, traverse right to the bolts above City Lights, to rappel without interfering with climbers below. The Uberfall Descent is also very quick from here.
Protection
Standard Rack. Bring a #3 and #4 Camalot for the offwidth. Bring a #5 Camalot if you have one! If you don't have a #4 or #5, be prepared to run it out on the offwidth; a fall would be ill-advised here, as you would certainly hit less-steep rock below.
This is a classic Gunks sandbag. The offwidth is really challenging, and I'd rate this thing at 5.8 on any day. Hats off to the folks who put this thing up, 'way back when.
By Adam Catalano From: Albany, New York Mar 15, 2006
I agree that the first pitch can be tough through that wide-crack section. The 2nd pitch is always a fun way to finish the day.
I think originally there was supposed to be a chockstone in the offwidth section. Now that it is long gone the route is a little more stout than 5.6. I believe I used a #11 hex at the crux.
I had a blast on this climb! I think the crux on the first pitch looks more daunting than it really is. Though some big pro would make this a bit easier. I dropped a knee in for a sweet, comfortable jam and got a piece in right above the crack to pull over it. Over the first and with a BIG belay ledge - The second pitch is a must as well and it will bring back some comfort to those who did not enjoy the crux on the first with a cozy corner and finger crack.
Really scratching my head on this one. I see some people gave Baby two stars while giving Maria 4 stars. I just don't understand it.
The first pitch of Maria is a throw away. The second pitch is a great corner, but so is the the second pitch of Baby. The third pitch of Marie is short but a way fun corner with a great, thoughtful, prototypical Gunks overhang to pull at the top. As good as the Maria overhang is. the overhang at the end of the second pitch of Baby is just dang good fun to pull over! I enjoy it as much if not more than the Maria overhang.
Finally, on Baby, with the first pitch, you have more variety of climbing than Maria offers. The first pitch is great. I just simply don't understand all the angst some people have with the dreaded "off-width"??? Crimpper's comment put it in perfect perspective. It is a fun move and one you don't often get to experience at the Gunks. After that you have some quality climbing up the twin cracks to the GT Ledge.
To offset the folks that rated Baby 2 stars and Maria 4 stars I going 4 stars here, even though I would be more comfortable rating both at three stars. Thus far in my Gunks climbing career, Madame G's is the 5.6 climb I'm holding above all others. Can I give it 5 stars? The bottom line is Baby and Maria are both terrific climbs well worth doing more than once.
Great climb. One of my favorites. Love the second pitch. The first is only hard if one never has done offwidth. Otherwise it is very easy 5.6 climbing.
The famous rock in the P1 off width that you could use for pro and a handhold has been gone for a few years now, making the crux a tad harder and neckier w/o a big cam.
Please do not rap this route for descent. The ledge atop P1 is full of loose rock and there are always parties below. It's probably faster to use the downclimb at the Uberfall and it's definitely faster to use the downclimb at Radcliff.
I dont know about this route being sandbagged? I thought the whole thing was 5.6 all the way? Although I think there are a lot of sandbags in the Gunks. The O/W was not even the crux to me.
Great route. I led it in Oct '06 and the chockstone was still there in OW section at that time. That and a somewhat tipped out #4 Friend were adequate to protect the crux on that pitch.
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