Brian Abram, leading pitch 2 of Dinkus Dog on the ...
Description
A vote here for the best 5.10 traditional face climb in the state! An incredible trad route on Looking Glass' South Side. The route climbs in-cut eyebrows and features bomber gear. Begin on a low angle slab that turns into a 80 degree face under a roof. Pull over and left of the roof and continue straight up to a hanging belay, passing several distinct crux moves between gear. The second pitch wanders to the left slightly with a slight runout near the top after the route turns less difficult and more slabby. Finish at a slopey ledge with a double bolt anchor.
The guidebook claims the second pitch as the crux, but the first pitch seems to be more sustained and delicate.
Location
Scramble up toward the golden-brown rock to the left of Rat's Ass to an often rattler-infested ledge below Unfinished Concerto. Dinkus Dog begins to the left, off a slab, beneath the right end of a small roof.
Protection
The gear on this climb is very good, with bomber placements at decent stances at least every 10 feet or so. Nuts are not really needed, but double tcu's #1 and #2 and double Camalots from .5 purple up to a number 2 gold are what you need. The route doesn't wander too much, so long slings aren't really necessary, except maybe on a piece at the roof, of course. There are rings at bolts at the top of the second pitch to rap off of with double 60 meter ropes.
One time I was at the Glass and kept finding shiny bail gear with a particular marking- black electrical tape. At the belay 'brow on Dinkus Dog-a keyhole slot a couple feet wide that would take just about any nut on the rack in bomber fashion- the bailers had apparently rapped off a small TCU, crammed over in the pinched-off left corner of the eyebrow. It looked like an A3 placement at best. Next to this, of course, was the kind of no-brainer slot at which any gumby with half a brain could merely wave a biner full of nuts and enjoy a trucker belay off the half-dozen stoppers trapped behind the lip.
Anyhow, the route is among the best around and if it's in your range, you should give it a go. Maybe I'm just a chickenshit but I wandered all over the place on the first pitch and recall wishing I had double ropes.
Concerning the wandering: I've never really seen much of it. The first pitch always seems like a beeline after the roof. But I might just be an incredibly good climber... :)
I jumped on this one yesterday for a nice long weekend finishing route. It is definitely my favorite eyebrow route I've climbed on the glass, fun moves the whole way and well protected once you've spent some time plugging eyebrows. I also found the route to be pretty straight forward, a single rope and 2 foot runners posed no rope drag problem (though doubles will save you from having to drag a trailer up for the rappel). The only unpleasant spot was due to my screwing up and making the first belay in a horizontal about 7 feet to the right of where I came up the first pitch. That resulted in a hanging belay that I could have done without, especially after discovering that if I'd pushed it another 5 feet, I would have found the perfect eyebrow that would eat nuts, tri-cams, and cams and allowed a perfectly comfortable stance.
I guess my overall point is that this is an excellent route, poses no serious falling danger, and the eyebrow 4 feet above the horizontal seam for your first belay will save your back, legs, and toes a lot of grief.
Looking Glass Rock
RSS Feed
