This crack climb is one of Arche's easiest climbs and a quick tick. It has a short approach, a walk off, and is easy to find, and has good protection. It's not the greatest climb on the planet, but it's worth a spin. Combine it with the Doil (which starts where Nutcracker finishes), and you get another climb to experience.
Location
It's the straight crack on the right side of the cliff... I even believe you could top rope this, if you aren't into leading. Walk off to the right.
By toddgordon From: Joshua Tree, California May 3, 2007
The name of this climb comes from, I believe, a testicle smashing fall that happened to Steve Swanke. I climbed this climb the same year of the F A, back in 1982, at Steve's suggestion, with Doug Smith. Steve, at the time, was 2nd in command ranger at Arches, and later became head Tool..(er, I mean , Ranger...sir) of Canyonlands. Steve is a good fellow, and I had a number of opportunities to climb with Steve back in the early 1980's. He was always very kind to our large Spring Break group...and we yearly trashed his place with mud, dogs, people, scrounging showers, sorting dirty gear, sleeping on his floor, cooking in his kitchen;....the usual abuse of unruly "guests."...Steve in a big lad;....probably size 14 shoe;....and a gentle giant;...he was the ranger first contacted by the guy (Aaron Ralston?) who hacked off his limb to save his life;...I think Steve took him to the hospital;....he was interviewed on the news , anyways, about the incident. There aren't too many "easy" climbs on sandstone, ...this is one of them.
As per Todd's suggestion I did this one first and then the other two on the higher ledge. I would take along a 5" cam for the end. This climbs quite differently than the other two above and the jams are a little more flared and a little more sandy and the feet a little more skittery, making the climb quite a bit harder. Felt more like a 5.8+ to me. :) Thanks for the recommendation Todd!
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