Special Forces 

FA:  Doug Reed, Vernon Scarborough Type:  Trad, Sport Consensus:  5.11a [details] Length:  1 pitch, 80 feet Views: 181 page views Submitted By: Coz Teplitz on Feb 28, 2007 Add Photo  Add Comment

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Tough mantle at the start... circa 1996

Description 

This is a serious but great route for those who enjoy thin holds.

Move up a short, steep wall, clip the first bolt, and then pull onto small holds on the slab. Several thin slab moves bring you up to a precarious mantle onto a small, sloping ledge (you wouldn't want to fall from here). Stand up, clip the second bolt, then make hard moves into the corner (crux). Superb stemming takes you up the corner - small gear (RPs and offsets) backs up the fixed pin. At the stance below the final headwall, get good gear - RPs, small cam, and/or Ball Nuts. Then enjoy good, moderately difficult climbing up the headwall to a rhodo ledge.

Location 

This is the route immediately uphill (left) of the Borrowed Time corner. There is a big block on the ground; look above this and find a bolt on the slab.

Protection 

Bring a few quickdraws for the bolts and fixed pin. Bring some small gear (RPs, offsets, Ball Nuts, small cams, etc) to protect the corner. Cold shuts up on the rhodo ledge for the single-rope rap to the ground.