Mercury's Lead 

Standing on the ledge and looking up, like most stone routes, its hard to see any holds at all. Once you get going on this a pattern of small edges (I mean small) appear and lead to the first belay. There is one opportunity to place about a #2 cam about 3/4 of the way up this pitch. The rest goes easier..

nbrown thanks for the route write up. Just a little comment on the line & intentions for the way this route was first done. The intention of this line was to stay well right of the Great Arch & be an independent line. I wanted it to fill the Gap between the Great Arch & Rainy Day Women.

It was a very long time ago but what I remember of the first ascent was the climbing and line put me where I ended up placing the second bolt a little bit left of the first bolt. When observed like a directissima line. So to compensate for this, from the second bolt the first ascent line actually goes up & trends right, at about 1 o'clock from the second bolt. My intention was for the line to move further back to the right from the Great Arch. I believe I belayed from a crack/flake & somewhat of a ledge system at the end of this. Pitch 2 goes up this.

As I recall doing it this way, is definitely a bit more difficult then going straight up or a bit left from the second bolt, I remember a distinct crux high above the second bolt just before getting to easier climbing and the belay. At the time it was quite exciting/nerve wracking and as I was "sweating it out" I remember wishing I had wings on my feet to make it thru the moves. Hence the name "Mercury's Lead".

As I mentioned it was a long time ago but as I recall we didn't belay for any pitches in the Arch for this route...