Surfing With The Alien  5.11c/d

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Type:  TR, 1 pitch, 40 feet Consensus:  5.11c/d [details] FA:  ???? Season:  All year given choice conditions. Submitted By:  Burt Lindquist on Jul 5, 2012 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (2) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

"Surfing With The Alien" route. Photo borrowed fr...

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Description 

Route climbs the largest face on the largest single feature at Monolith Blocks. It lies to the right of the prominent 5.4 chimney route #10 page 199 3d Edition "Climbers Guide to Devil's Lake" and to the left and around the corner of route #8 (called "The Open Wide Burger" on MP.com). Climb starts by climbing lower groove at wall base center to gain a horizontal fracture and slopng foot ledges. Angle left here and use small horizontal edges and side pull weaknesses to gain the crux of the climb at the point where the climber passes through the visible small overhanging band. Gain a sizable flake while moving right towards the route's upper crack. I think this is a height dependent type of face climb. It may be 5.11b to a tall lanky climber and 5.11+ to shorter climbers. The name is a reference to a "Joe Satriani" album from the late 1980's. Am I wrong about that?

Location 

Monolith Blocks. Route climbs the most expansive and prominent face at Monolith and faces Devil's Lake directly west.

Protection 

Some protection options but with sizable runouts for a lead attempt. Good small protection to be found in the upper crack. This would be a tough lead.