The Jam Crack 5.8
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| Type: | Trad, 3 pitches, 300 feet |
| Consensus: | 5.8 [details] |
| FA: | Royal Robbins and Don Wilson, September 1959 |
| Submitted By: | Roger Linfield on Feb 24, 2006 |
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BETA PHOTO: JAM CRACK - Pitch 2 with beta. Need to open Hi Res...
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Description The crux first pitch gives this route its name. The climb starts a short distance to the right of The Trough. Go around a corner, across a low angle face, and into the prominent wide crack. Sustained jamming and offwidth leads to the crux overhang, and then to a belay ledge with bolts. For pitch 2 (5.6) , traverse right to a left-facing corner, which leads to some delicate face climbing. Pitch 3 (5.6) is less obvious, and the Vogel guidebook describes a different pitch than did earlier guides. The original route (5.7) involved an undercling/lieback up and right, then face climbing up to Pine Tree Ledge.
Protection Gear to a #4 Camalot.
| Comments on The Jam Crack |
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By mschlocker From: San Diego, CA Jul 7, 2006 rating: 5.8
| One 60m rope will get you to the ground from the top of P1. |
By john durr From: Joshua Tree, CA Aug 19, 2007
| Maybe follow piton pooper to upper royal arches to the top, yum, yum! |
By Carl A From: brooklyn, ny Jun 9, 2008
| I got a great thigh jam on this puppy right off the deck. |
By BrendanC From: Sherman oaks, ca Oct 11, 2010 rating: 5.7+ PG13
| PITCH 2 (See photo as well): often confused with Dave's Dev. pitch 2 (which goes left at the 2bolt belay). JAM CRACK P2 goes right into the immediate L facing Lieback flake. There is an old piton right off the bat, but it's crap. Clip this for mental pro only and cruise up the solid 5.7 lieback, OR do some awkward balancy stuff to get a good piece in just above the piton and go. 25' of good crack which ends, then veer slightly LEFT and up 40' to the obvious roof (first 15-20' is runout PG, then a couple good placements before you get to the roof). Belay below the roof for the traditional Jam Crack line -- Pitch 3 then traverses under the roof LEFT and up, then veers back right to Pine Tree Ledge. Or get to Pine Tree Ledge in one pitch by doing the VARIATION that friction mantles directly up over the roof at the obvious good bolt (5.9-5.10? or french free A0), then face climbs 5.7ish friction runout (PG) for 15-20' to the next gear and then Pine Tree Ledge. This pitch is beautiful varied climbing. Just the climbing alone is 5.7, but add the 2 PG runout sections and the dicey (to protect) first few moves out from the P1 belay and it feels harder. Solid 5.9/5.10 leaders won't see what the big deal is, coupla easy runouts. 5.7 leaders will be tested. |
By The Gray Tradster Oct 11, 2010
| In the 1970 edition Wilts describes the route as going left, under the roof. By the 79 edition he describes the route as traversing right, (just about under the text box in the photo) at the roof with the variation going left. Wilts rates it 5.7 in both editions, but for once I'd agree with Gaines and call it 5.8. The move going right is 5.4 scary and not real obvious. Then continue up easy terrain to the ledge. Many routes slightly change description from earlier versions of Wilts to later ones and even more with later guidebooks, usually not effecting the character or difficulty of the route by much, if at all. The bolt is a new addition and going straight up is really more in character with Dave's it isn't original to either route. I don't particularly think this route needs a PG rating, second pitch of Dave's? That's another story! |
By Chris Norwood From: Los Angeles, CA Jul 25, 2012 rating: 5.8
| Pitches 2 & 3 (as described in the beta photo), can be easily linked, even with a 60m. I led it on a 70m and just barely used half the rope by the time I arrived at pine tree ledge. Be careful with extending pro, especially in the overlaps/flakes beneath the roof if doing it like this though! I set up pretty gnarly drag which made some of the upper ~5.7 friction moves a little spicier ;) |
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