Tennis Shoe Tango 5.6
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| Type: | Trad, 2 pitches, 250 feet |
| Consensus: | 5.6 [details] |
| FA: | C. Salaun |
| Submitted By: | Holly Barnard on Jun 2, 2002 |
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TST in the middle, Arch Crack can be seen on the r...
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Season raptor closures MORE INFO >>>
The following areas are closed from March 1-July 31 or until further notice: Twin Owls, Rock One, Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Sheep Mountain, Thunder Buttress, The Parish, Lightning Rock and Checkerboard Rock are currently closed. The closures include the named rock formations and the areas extending 100 yards surrounding the base of the formation. This includes all climbing routes, outcroppings, cliffs, faces, ascent and descent routes and climber's access trails to the formation. Alligator Rock is also closed. www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/area_closures.htm
This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund,
and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates.
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Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment
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Description This route is the very obvious, low angle hand to mild off-width crack located on the left side of the crag. It is located just right of the large right facing dihedral and the line heads straight for the balanced rock at the summit. Traverse up and right across easy gound to the start of the crack. Not much to say after this... climb the crack that is hands for most of it with a couple moves of tricky, but mild off-width (protects [easily] with #3.5 Camalot). When you hit the steep headwall going up to the true summit, traverse/walk right and belay near the walk off. Walk off to the east. [There is a direct, brief, 5.7 finish that easily connects with the standard walkoff.] If there were additional pitches to this, or if the walk off didn't suck so badly, I would've given it 3 stars.
Protection Standard rack - double up on hand-sized cams if you are comfortable at the grade.
Near the end of the first pitch of Arch Crack wher...
| Crowd on the first pitch.
| Alternate start to P1.
| Russ Morgenstern starting up the 2nd pitch.
| Russ approaching the easy traverse towrads the wal...
| Looking down Right Chimney
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| Comments on Tennis Shoe Tango |
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By Doug Dakins Oct 7, 2002
| The steep headwall is a nice way to finish the route. The 10-15 foot crack up the headwall is 5.7. With a 60m rope you can do all of TST in one pitch and belay on a pedestal at the top of the headwall. From the pedestal you can scramble off and join the normal descent route. |
By Nate Christiansen Jan 29, 2003
| The first time I tried this route I just heard it was a great solo, so I gave it a shot. The first pitch is a bit dirty, but when the traverse comes, the climbing is clean and very enjoyable. Although the crack is flared (lumpy ridge standard), the jams are totally solid and not too painful. The only problem that most folks have is that pain [in] the butt descent. There are possible rap stations, but they are not the best and a 60m rope will still require some downclimbing, possibly 5th class. |
By Chris Fisher May 8, 2003
| My favorite Lumpy 5.6. Solid hand jams all the way up. A better start is to start down and [right] in the chimney that leads to Arch Crack (5.6) Once to the top of the chimney follow the arching hand crack to the left where it joins the upper Tennis Shoe Tango. This will have to be broken into two pitches due to length and rope drag. |
By Jim McGuire Sep 16, 2003
| ...I totally agree this is the more enjoyable way to do this climb and then finish with the 5.7 headwall crack. The cracks here don't seem to flare as much as a lot of Lumpy climbs making for solid pro placements. |
By Leo Paik Administrator From: Westminster, Colorado May 13, 2005
| Another variation that may add some quality is to take the crack/groove & LFD 10 ft to the right of the chimney start for TST. 62m to the top doing this var & the 5.7 var. |
By kyle kingrey From: Loveland Sep 28, 2007
| My partner Russ and I climbed this fine route on 9-27-07 We started in the Right Chimney, did the lower traverse below Arch Crack, then tackled the entire 5.6 crack. Really fun climb with lots of good gear. #4 Camalot came in handy more than once. If you're a beginning trad leader, do this climb; compares to Batman Pinnacle as far as difficulty goes. |
By taimi From: Longmont, CO Jul 20, 2008
| My partner, Bee, found the climb to be rather off-width--in retrospect, I did use a lot of off-width technique (a hint is when you break out the #4 cam). However, jams (hand and fist) were solid; heel-toe technique felt great; pro was delightful. Unfortunately, the descent ruined the climb--it was miserable! Off-width scrambling, scree, slippery bushes--yuck. If there was a clear rappel route, I would sing the praises of this climb; as it stands, I would say only do it if everything (and I mean everything) else is busy. |
By Frederic Regis Jul 5, 2010
| I agree with the last comment about the descent. The descent is terrible. Too bad cuz the climb was nice... but I won't go back unless everything else at Lumpy is really busy. FYI, there is a red sling around a pine tree not long after starting the descent. It made it a little bit better. |
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