Pedernal Cracks  5.6

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Type:  Trad, 1 pitch, 120 feet Consensus:  5.6 [details] FA:  Submitted By:  Bill Lawry on Jun 14, 2010 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (2) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

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Description 

Climb up the wide crack continuing straight up after it narrows. At roughly 30 feet, trend left near a potatoe-sized cactus (June 2010) to a smaller crack: the "middle crack" of Clark's guide? Follow this right-trending crack to where it naturally ends, stepping right into a wider crack (approx 2 inch gear where it necks down). Continue up through the well-protected crux (5.6 or 5.7) and beyond.

After the fifth class climbing, I passed up the big ledge and continued higher up the gully to a roughly 1 1/2 foot diameter juniper; be careful to not send down rocks!

Descent is as for the Cave Woman formation which stands about 30 yards to the south, passing through a rubble field.

Location 

The route is to climber's left of both Cave Woman and Shoes for Industry. Probably, the best thing is to find the characteristic roof of Shoes for Industry: short, reddish face to yellow lichen below a smallish triangular roof with finger crack above. Then look back left for the "monolithic slab" described in Gary Clark's guide. This slab stands out from the general surface of the cliff that extends to the right of this slab. The "monolithic slab" is fairly broken with cracks, more so in the lower half. We started up an approximate 2 foot wide crack that quickly narrows down after 10 or 15 feet.

Protection 

Standard rack to 2 or 3 inches. I only say "3 inches" because I can't recall if I used my number 3; either way, it likely was not needed. Tree anchor at top.