One Drop of Water. V  5.9+ A3

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Type:  Trad, Aid, Alpine, 7 pitches, 1015 feet, Grade V Consensus:  5.9+ A3 [details] FA:  Paul Ross Jeff Pheasent (alt leads).July 1976 Submitted By:  USBRIT on Jul 12, 2012 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (1) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

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Description 

A true directisima.We named this route prior to the first ascent after a saying by a famous Italian climbing Emilio Comici who said the perfect line is where one drop of water will fall... Start between the VMC and the Direct Direct. All pitches except perhaps one and two give superb climbing . No extra bolts please.P1) Start in the dike-type rock just right of the VMC. Free climb for about 90' than aid into a corner on the left. Swing right into another short corner and belay on the right. 160'P2) Continue up the dike both free and aid aiming for a short right leaning arch. Climb the arch and then after three bolts move left about 6' to a belay in the large crack on the VMC. 120'P3) Follow VMC which after 80' goes right. Continue up roof using nuts and pins via a crack which leads a few feet left. Continue over the roof to the large flake.160'P4)Just right of the belay mantle into a crack. Excellent climbing leads through a break in an awkward vertical wall and onto a slab with good horizontal crack right below the big upper overhangs.160'(Site of first ascent bivy).Massive thunder storms all night.. waterfall fell
directly onto the climbers,lots more than One Drop of Water!.P5)Escape by the slab on the left then aid back right for about 20' then straight up the overhangs to a belay above a short jam crack and below twin cracks.100'P6).One pin in the twin cracks brings one to a beautiful slab.Climb the cracks in the slab to ledges.165'P7)Up easy climbing to the summit. 150'

Location 

Starts up the dike just right of the VMC and left of the Direct Direct.

Protection 

Up to date rack of gear as this was climbed before cams etc