The BLM office in Monticello has asked the Friends of Indian Creek to remind climbers that there is a 14-day limit on camping on BLM Land. The F.O.I.C. understands that there is a bit of a history of staying in the Creek for far longer, but heavy climber-traffic in the area has made the BLM take notice of this tradition. Be aware that overstaying the 14-day limit makes climbers look as if we feel the rules don't apply to us and thus has an effect on long-term access. Moving your campsite throughout the season, or perhaps finding a site outside the main Indian Creek area, will not only help smooth relations with the BLM, but will also keep you from possibly getting hit with a fine.
This climb is found by follwoing the trail right until it goes behind the leaning Anunnaki Pillar just as you exit this, you will see a 3" crack that thins to 1" as it climbs 50' zig-zagging wildly through clings on it's way to a set of anchors. This is on the underbelly of the leaning pillar that faces the wall and is one of the steeper splitters in the creek, albeit a short route. Climb up perfect hands for the first half of the route and get ready to gymnastically gun for the top before getting pumped. I found the route easy for it's assigned grade, but admit that I hardly tried to jam at all and was mroe or less face climbing the more diagonal features of the crack, toe hooking, back-stepping and flagging off of the features with my feet. Easier for the strong-shouldered and long-armed, hand size might not matter.
Protection
Camalots: two #2's for the easy start.One #1 for the transition to hard moves before the chalked horizontal.Two #.75's for the hard climbingOne #.5 for the finishing moves after the crux.Slings for the anchor.
If you are a strong sport climber or boulderer, this is the route to do at the Creek so that you can say "I climb 5.12 crack." The entire middle of this climb is bouldery, powerful moves between good holds that are formed as the crack zigzags. There is still a final fingerlock move at the anchors, however.
Definitely one of the softer .12a's at the Creek, in my opinion.
A buddy and I climbed this route a couple years before the new book came out so we didn't know the rating. We casually rated it middle 5.11. If this thing is 5.12- then Optimator is .14a. I agree that if you don't sport climb, it may seem harder. I have watched people climb it straight in and get pumped out of their gords in the 1st 20'.
I reclimbed this thing the other day. It's simply not a 12. Now that doesn't make it a bad route, it just makes it a hell of a lot easier than the guidebook would have you believe. I'm not sandbagging, it's just a damn cool 11b/c.
Cool route, a lot different from most other routes in Indian creek in that you actually need to be able to climb face. The crack-climbing part of the route is 5.9/5.10 or so.
originally thought 11+, being the first person to climb it - but on-sight basically after removal of a large flake about midway, i think has merit. No rehearsal.
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