P-Crack 

This is a very exciting lead. It is one of the best climbs on the hill. The crack is full of great holds and jams. It likes nuts at the start and medium to small cams as you move up. I once took a 15' whip onto a number 1 camalot placed below the first bolt, it held beautifully in the hard dysite. The traverse is the mental crux as you move out right, patience is the key as the holds are there. Fantastic exposure and well protected. Go climb it!

I've done this route a bunch of times. It's probably the best route on the entire P-wall. Although the crack is 5.8ish and takes a ton of gear, the traverse can be 5.9+. Sometimes it (the traverse) goes easy and feels like 5.8, other times it feels like 5.9+. This is a great route for a solid 5.9 leader. The crack sucks up gear and the traverse is protected by 2 solid bolts. If you get tired, you can just "French Free" the crux. Take the 5.6 upper pitch (a bit runout) to Letterman and enjoy the new anchor bolts! Rap the route (2 raps if you have a 60m rope) to get down.

I noticed that the block at the base of the crack itself is gone. I am curious if it went by itself, or if it was persuaded.

I think that the big block fell off in a storm. We came back to after a small storm and the tree had fallen and the block was gone. The better question is where are the remnants of the block.

I seriously doubt that a “small storm” would be capable for dislodging that large block. I climbed P-Crack not more than a few weeks after it was lamentably pried off with a crowbar. There were what appeared to be pry marks left just above where the block was attached.

BTW: This is the editor’s overly PC revision/interpretation of my original comment (“lamentably”… please)

I spoke to somebody who talked to the guy who pried the block off. Apparently the person thought he was doing everyone a favor.

Please, NO more tinkering with P-Crack!
It’s perfectly fine the way it is, no additional “improvements” necessary.

If someone has that big of a problem with the new hanging belay, they can belay from the ground. Use a 60m and a few long runners. I’ve done it this way several times, not a problem.

Relocating the anchor would alter four established lines and would NOT be a good idea. It should be left alone.

Leave it all as it is. There's nothing problematic with the bolt anchor.

If climbing in two roped pitches, the first pitch felt more like easy class 5 (5.4?) than class 4 and is about 70' long, the second from the "hanging belay" is about 80'. It's a pity the first bolt of the crux is on the left side of the crack and so low, because it is easy to get a solid cam in the crack above the bolt, which obviates the need for the bolt; furthermore, the bolt would have been better placed well to the right of the crack to reduce the pendulum potential. The moves are there and may not be harder than 5.8, but they weren't all that obvious and it took me some time to figure out where they were, so it felt like 5.9 during my onsight lead. If rappelling from a 60 m (200 ft) rope, you can make it to the ground in a single rappel by rapping into the gully above and left of the base of the climb.

Re: "...crux traverse felt more like 5.9."

I discovered there are two ways to do the "crux traverse". The "high traverse" or the "low traverse".

To do the "high traverse", clip the 'bomber' 1/2" bolt, then step up the crack and place a red alien (or your cam of similar size) about 4' above the bolt. Then move right to grab the rail and do the traverse. You'll be well protected by your cam above the bolt but you will experience a harder "5.9-ish" crux. Once you make the traverse you should be standing at an easy spot to clip the 2nd bolt.

To do the slightly easier "low traverse", clip the 1/2" bolt at the top of the crack then immediately move right with the bolt about waist height. After making the traverse, you'll need to step up to clip the 2nd bolt. I think this variation feels more like 5.8.

Both of them are fun and both are reasonably protected by either a high cam or the first bolt.

Have fun doing P-Crack. I think it's the best lead & best climb at Bishop Peak.