Unstrung Harp  5.11a R

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Type:  Trad, 2 pitches, 200 feet Consensus:  5.11a [details] FA:  John Steiger, Scott Brown, Ray Ringle, 1976 Submitted By:  John Steiger on Feb 19, 2010 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (2) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

BETA PHOTO: A page from The Unstrung Harp.

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Description 

Scott Brown envisioned this line, placed its only bolt on lead, and worked out the crux, only to take a 30 foot whipper after pumping out on the easier crack after the crux. He slammed into the wall within a few feet of the ground, shattering the back of his helmet. Freaked out, we quickly left for the bar. A few weeks later we came back, on Halloween Day. I’m not sure how I ended up with the first lead, but I was a nervous wreck all the way to the belay. For some reason, this pitch never got an R rating (or S back then), so I assume that, despite our experience, it protects adequately. For purists, do the second pitch as described below; for tourists, I suggest doing Gripping Space for the second pitch.

(1) Climb more or less straight up to the bolt, then traverse left and up to an obvious crack/flake system. From its end climb to a pinnacle-like ledge midway on the second pitch of the Standard Route. (2) Climb up a little and strike back out right onto the face and up to a roof or bulge. Turn it (5.9 R) to easier ground above and eventually the top via any one of a number of other routes.

Regarding the name, it’s the title of an Edward Gorey story about a very odd author.

Location 

Find the base of the Standard Route. Walk along the wall to the right to a RURP seam protected by bolts (Bashie Crack, 5.12, FA Bob D’Antonio 1986). Immediately to the left is Unstrung Harp.

Protection 

Standard Tucson trad rack.

Photos of Unstrung Harp Slideshow

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Fall from here would be bad. Greg on the sharp en...