A deservedly popular climb with good first and third pitches.
P1: Climb broken cracks for about 100', aiming for a nice ledge about 15' left of a large pine tree. The route wanders left and right at various places, so keep looking around. 5.6, 100'.
P2: Climb easy ground 60' up and slightly left, to the GT Ledge.
P3: Climb a right-facing corner ~20 feet right of the belay tree (but not the right-facing corner 5 feet right; that is Bombs Away Dream Baby's last pitch). Traverse a few feet left, move up to just below the roof at the right-facing corner (crux), and clear it. From here, aim up and left towards a pretty white face, and finish up that to the cliff top.
Rappel from rings on the tree. With two ropes, it's possible to skip the dying (dead?) tree at the GT and rap all the way to the to top of Middle Earth's first pitch.
Location
From Absurdland, go downhill to the right, and about another 30' right once the trail flattens out.
Protection
Standard rack. Rap stations at top of all 3 pitches.
The first pitch of this climb is superb and takes good gear. Good pitch for the new 5.5 leader.
P2 is easy 5th class, but still fun.
P3 is tricky, with a vague book description, potential ledge falls, and a harder than rated crux. I would not put a new 5.5ish leader on the last pitch.
A 60M rope is needed to rap from the large tree atop P1 or to TR this pitch.
P3 was rated 5.7 up until the Grey Dick came out; and even at 5.7, it wasn't a gimme. That re-grading is the one I most strongly disagree with.
It's not easy to get *good* pro at the crux, because of the direction of rope pull, and the pumpy stance; and you're looking at hitting the ledge if you fall on bad pro. So I agree with Tim - I would not, not, not put a 5.5 leader on this pitch.
Repositioning the belay at the GT ledge, to just below the pitch, is a good idea.
RSS Feed
Slideshow
