Pope's Crack 

Ya I think this route is probably 5.10a. I climbed it acouple of years ago after spending considerable time climing (and even leading a few 5.10s) in Squamish BC. This climb is great!!! But I was a whimpering baby at the top.

Hard to say on the rating, I've done it a few times and, for me, there's one akward spot in the crack right before it lowers in angle but it's otherwise just good jams. In my opinion there are a lot of harder 5.9's in Jtree (also a lot of easier ones). 5.9 is kind of a messed up grade anywhere, and rerating a lot of 5.9 climbs seems like it would somehow disturb some greater balance :)

I've led this route five or six times over the years, and I and my companions have always felt it to be a solid 10a.

to finish the original (i think--and still great climbing) line, you climb up the crack till about 15 feet below the roof; from here you traverse left on the sloping ledge for about 20 feet (no pro) and make one final 5.6ish move to gain the crack. run it out some more on moderate ground so as to avoid killer rope drag (gear available though) and build an anchor at the top. walk down the other end of the dome.

In the 1970's, the difference between 5.9 and 5.10 (or 5.11) was quite distinct. When Mike and I put up this route we figured it was a 5.9 based on the 5.10's being put up all over JT. Times and criteria change, don't they?

When Mike and I put this route up in the 70's the distinction between 5.9 and 5.10 was stark. There was no 10a,b,c, etc. So, if you think its a 10a, it could be. If its still a 5.9, okay. Nevertheless, it sure is a sweet line.

Craig Parsley

Finally climbed this crack. looks easier than it is. I agree that the crux is just before the angle eases back some. Not sure if this is a 10a. I think it's probably an awkward 5.9. Some people think Touch N Go could be 10a. I found Touch N Go to be easier than Pope's Crack.The downclimb on Pope's is classic. If you pop off the friction slab at the top, you sail. There are certainly harder downclimbs in Josh.

Just did Pope's on the last day of our trip last week (my 10th to JT or so). What a sweet line! I don't really think its .10a - especially by JT standards. I thought the jams in the crack were just about perfect the whole way. But, I also climber in Veedauwoo, WY for 5 yrs, so my sense of "perfect" may be a little twisted. Even if it is a bit awkward in a couple of spots, the gear is bomber. Especially if you take a big cam (3.5 or 4 camalot) to stuff high in the lower crack before the traverse. Enjoy!

i made my partner lead it thank god! dan nay fought it all the way then bailed at the top. after wathing him i balked. glad i did too. he said no 5.9 here hard 5.10 in the sun!

perfect stars

wasnt no 5.9 maybe 5.10

route finding a must

Well protectable route and the moves are 'funky' as I have found typical for J Tree. It's not simple waltz but requires some good body english for the leader. It protects very well and if you can handle the crux then the traverse should not be a problem for you. Falling at the traverse to the left can reap serious percussions. So be solid. Pro to 3" mostly medium. THe route faces south-southwest so afternoon sun is present and there is some shelter from high winds. Great quality rock.

Classic and good quality

Funky body english required.

Every year this thing gets more and more slippery! I led it in the sun last year for the upteenth time and dang if it wasn't 5.10-!

I think this is one of the trickier five-nines in the park. If this route is 5.9 then Touch and Go is 5.8

I don't know why anyone would down climb this route when all you have to do is walk around the large block to the right, down a bit and rappel off the anchors.

Downclimbing the route is half the fun. Anybody can rap.

Ah yes, downclimbing the route. Always trickier for the "follower;" make sure to protect the 2nd well, particularly when they try to reverse the face traverse.

I'd give the route 5.9. Funny, as one reviewer mentions it, I'd also give Touch and Go 5.8. Both are fun in any case.

Coming from the outside (I am a frequent visitor, but no local) it's been my observation that J-tree has a skewed rating set. I'm stronger on cracks in some areas, on face in others, but can usually climb about the same. Still, I always seem to find J-tree friction routes with thiny sloper holds harder than graded, and seem to find the cracks easier than graded. Perhaps modern J-tree 'local consensus' is being delivered by people who are slab masters and not as strong on cracks?

And whatever goofy AC posted the "it's a crack climb, go up it" comment was ignorantly proving his irrelivence. Obviously, anyone who says that has not done the route. What an embarrasment.

This was one amazing route. Once the technical crux is beneath you the route still keeps you thinking. As an inexperienced slab climber, I found the traverse to be the mental crux of the route, although I doubt that it's actually difficult. Next time I would bring two #3 Camalots for the first half of the route and a #4 to place high before starting into the traverse. Double length runners for sure!

Sustained.

this route is one of the best for the grade, good pro for the most part, make sure and toprope the british airways on the way down!

A classic line and one of my JTree favorites. Longer, more sustained, more varied, and trickier than Touch and Go. Solid 5.9; maybe 9+.

Great route.. did the route right after Mike put it up..SA I think..and it is a little harder today than 30 years ago..some of the holds inside the crack have broken off and on the face also...Like the DC3 a timeless classic..I agree with Dave..10-

Larry Stone? Larry the Lion Tamer, Larry Loads, Larry that helped crack the famous Louie Case?

Fun climb with good pro for the aspiring trad leader. I rapped down British Airways to the right to get down.

Whew! It is sustained but great pro the entire way. So, if you left your rack in the crack like me there are several features at the top you can sling with your rope.

Climbed this route for the first time recently. I thought it was great! The moves were all interesting and it protected very well. It was definitely 5.9, especially by J-Tree standards and compared to the 10b's I have lead in J-Tree. The traverse is also not that bad if you've lead some of J-Trees sportier "bolted" routes. Its really not that far...

I just love to read comments stating it goes harder than 5.9. On-sighted it just yesterday with expectations of a slick and hard route. I was pleasantly surprised and didn't have any trouble at all which by definition means the route is no harder than 5.9!! Maybe it was temperature related - late in the day, shady and low 70's. No slick rock, great protection and fun, fun, fun!

Hey... to you guys who bailed, thanks for the red tricam, the faders quickdraw, and the #11 stopper!
yeah, I'll second the awkward 5.9 motion

just did this line last week, its classic. as for the 10a rating, id go with an awkward 5.9 for sure. but i could imagine in the baking summer heat in josh it could bump it up a notch. but this time of year the friction is awesome! my partner lead this one and stayed in the crack the whole time and struggled, i followed, stemming is the ticket for sure.

Cruiser 5.9. I actually think Touch and Go has a more cruxy section than anything on this climb. All that aside, it is a great line. Don't be scared off by a "stiff" rep. If your crack skill is solid, this feels very moderate.

I led this a few years ago, thought it was hard, but now think it is a solid 5.9. I seconded this route about a year later and thought it was considerably harder having to clean. Go figure.

Although this route is only 5.9 I would not recommend it for anyone not comfortable leading JT 5.10. The pro at the traverse is solid but little funky to place and the traverse itself can be pretty heady. Save a yellow tcu for your first piece of gear after the traverse. I was glad I had it.

No offense at all to Zeke, but don't let anyone try to convince you that this route is "cruiser 5.9". Yes, it's cruiser if you generally climb and have experience climbing much harder than 5.9 (i.e. you have solid crack skill as stated) or if you're solidly leading 5.9. I'm certainly not a proponent of upgrading this route, but I would say that if you are breaking into 5.9 or don't have that many under your belt, then the odds are you'll work for this one. With that said, it's generally well protected and the friction traverse is not bad but should be heads-up if you have limited slab experience. Place gear high, extend it, then downclimb to the traverse.

I had about a ten year hiatus from climbing much and upon returning to the insanity (early 90's)decided to make a project one year out of on sighting every 5.9 and 10a in the Monument that Vogel gave five stars to and Bartlet gave three. Got most all of them.

I felt that Pope's was squarely in the middle difficulty wise of the 5.9's

Now a couple of caveats;

The crux move has a size dependent wide fist jam and is much easier if your mitts fit.

The lower section is now about as polished as J Tree can get.

The traverse however is dead easy and only a head trip.

I always feel weird when I disagree with the masses but I really felt that this climb was not all that great and especially by Jtree standards. There is not much to be made in the way of throwing jams in this crack and I more or less found myself laying back and finding decent feet that were a bit polished. I feel almost as if this climb is rated as a classic because it is a moderate that is close in proximity to a parking lot. This is my opinion but I wouldn't consider this a classic climb. 5.9 felt like an appropriate grade.

Re: Alan, maybe it is one of those 5.9s that initially feels hard but once you get enough experience it feels moderate? For my skill set (which includes polished Yosemite climbing) it felt like a simple (and very fun) 5.9. Honestly, I've run into a handful of 5.8's that feel harder, but I guess that's the nature of trad climbing.

5.9 if your BMI is less than 25 kg-m2; 10a if your BMI is greater 30;

great route; great pro. - do this route!!!

easiest to use rap station to climber's left; best with a 70m rope.

An enjoyable line that is 5.9. It requires solid crack climbing technique and I am referring to more than just handjams. The position of the crack gives you a variety of ways to climb it and there are face features just where you need them. Good technique (jamming, body position and footwork) made this climb feel like 5.8 to me.

A PG-13 rating is not necessary. You can use the cracks to shorten a fall at the traverse. You can literally put yourself on top-rope.

Peace!

Solid JT 5.9 crack. One of a handful of the benchmark 5.9 cracks here. 5.10a? Probably, just not in Joshua Tree. More tricky and technical than strenuous. I was only able to sink a few bomber jams in the main crack, all the others were just OK with one solid foot in the crack and one precariously smedging the face. Just don't want to hang around in this section for very long, just plug and go. Wouldn't want to climb this above 70 degrees in the sun, that's for sure. Traverse is simple for any leader that sent the crack below, it's all about the second here. Final crack is small sizes and 5.7ish so don't load up thinking you need bigger stuff up top.
The direct finish straight over the big roof looks killer. Next time.

Felt it was not as hard as Colorado Crack.

OUCH!

Ouch is right! He rested on the wrong piece of gear.

LOL!!!...

That fall is hilarious!!!...

Talk about a "Wake up call"...

Good footage...

Shite!
That piece pulled on body weight!? Looks like he ripped the one below it too (or there was way too much slack in the system). And the pro on this climb is first class...if you can't set bomber gear (or at least body weight gear) in that quality a crack you might consider a helmet...

Just got on this sucker. I thought it was super fun, but not quite a classic. Also thought it to be the epitome of Josh 5.9. If Bird of Fire is .10a, Pope's is definitely easier.

Thought it was pretty similar in difficulty to Touch and Go. I want to do it again with the roof variation. How is that move pulling the roof? Looks fun!

Felt like 5.9 to me if not easier for Jtree... I thought Touch and Go was harder. Good jams, good foot jams for your left foot, and good stemming edges for your right foot. Maybe I was having a good day

Fun climb and no harder than 5.9, IMO.

Super Fun Climb with amazing gear all the way up! Felt the grade was true to the climb! The Top is super duper fun! Do it!!

Nice looking line but not so great - very awkward with a rather coarse crack.

Great climb with great jams. One little tricky section but alot of small edges on the face next to the crack and solid jams make this one very comfortable.