Climb up an initial steep move with a 1" or 1.5" cam to access the flake and slab- climb up easy moves leap-frogging the 1" or 1.5" gear to save it for later if you are shy on gear. Continue up to darker and steeper rock, placing a few larger cams (1-2 each 2"-3.5" cams) in wide spots, again to save your 1" and 1.5" gear. Access a good 'pod' in the flake which provides a great stance from which to launch the assault on the meat of the route- the next 10 meters, which will be primarily lie-backs with surprisingly good feet.
Dump any big gear you have left at the low end of this pod then place a 1" cam and a 1.5" cam above it and go. 2-4 more 1.5" placements will get you to the lower angle climbing. Put in gear where you have the best footholds and run between them. Just as you get too pumped, the lower angle rock arrives with a few good jams and a placement for a 2" cam. Finish on the slabby moves to clip a 3-chain anchor.
I gave this climb 5.11- relative to "Formerly Aided" and "Unnamed" which are also rated 5.11 at that cliff and both substantially harder.
Location
Toward the Right Side of Blue Gramma Cliff, this route is not difficult to find. Locate a light-colored slab with a huge, obtuse, dusty, and un-chalked left-facing flake above it's center (un-named 5.11) and a sweet obtuse finger-crack/flake in dark rock to it's right (Blue Gramma).
Protection
(2-3) 1" cams, (4-6) 1.5" cams 1 each, 2" 2.5" & 3" 3.5" optional. The larger pieces and leapfrogging down low make only 1 1" and 3 1.5" cams necessary for a decent lead, but more can be helpful.
By Anthony Stout Administrator From: Albuquerque, NM Apr 3, 2006 rating: 5.11
Ahhhh, 5.11-? It's gotta be at least one point higher than that! Have not climbed any 5.11 creek climbs yet but the three 5.11- climbs I have attempted I have done onsite. I fell three times from the top of this route before I could complete it!
Maybe I just haven't done enough creek 11s but this seemed harder than .11- to me. Or, maybe I wasn't stemming enough but that top part was rough lay back moves for me!
Blue Gramma Cliff
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