Joseffa Meir getting up to the crux on Dead Crow (...
Description
A great climb for 100' of 5.10, to an interesting band with some loose flakes, then a wild, off-hands steep section to an off-fist crux. Rough for those with small hands. Tape up and wear long sleeves. I did neither and gave blood. Start at .6" for pro and work up past some less than perfect rock, but with good gear until the crack reaches 1.5" is size,placing one of everything in between on the way up. The rock then gets very good and the crack gets to about 2" wide for a few placements, then to 2.5" with perhaps 2 of each size. (Can substitute green & red camalots) then good hand-sized gear (2.5-3") for a short while through fairly mellow climbing to another section of thing hands. Place another 2" or red camalot and continue on passing gear from 2.5-3.5". After about 100 feet you will start into some softer rock with some light colored flakes that deserve respect and attention; if you care for your belayer's life don't snap them off. Climb slightly runout through this light rock band with OK pro here and there to reach a bulge with a 2" cam overhead and then 3-3.5" cams ad you lean and twist to the left through a steep, hooking off-hands to off-fist crack to reach the anchor. This section is some of the wildest climbing in the creek and deserves a place in the classics list.
Location
This route is a few hundred yards right of where the left approach trail reaches the wall. Hit the wall and walk right, keeping an eye upward for a huge twisting crack to corkscrew up and left though a light band of rock not far right of a right facing corner, and just right of "Trip To The Vet."
Protection
A light rack from .6"-1.5", then maybe four #2's (save one for entering the crux up high) and four #2.5's, plus a slew of #3-3.5's plus two 3.5 camalots or possibly #4 friends, on of which is your final and crux piece.
A great route but not a classic. The hands down low and the fantastic slanting widehands crack at the finish put it in the running for classic status. The easy, loose midsection and the somewhat contrived finish (anchor in the middle of a killer sequence) detract from the route's quality. Does anyone know if there are anchors beyond the first set? The climbing beyond the anchor looked clean and physical. It would definitely add to both the quality and difficulty.
Cat Wall
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