Tony Bubb turning the steep section of 'Our Peice ...
Description
Two stars, but (because?) varied and highly worthwhile. Is variously rated 5.10+ or 5.11-; I concurred with the latter but it may be that the grade feels magnified by the necessity of placing much gear, as the crux presents a fall onto a block if not sewn up.
Walk past Battle of the Bulge, Black Corner, Quarter of a Man, Jane Fonda's Total Body Workout, etc. until you reach a massive RF corner, which is easily identified by the long, horrifying wide crack Big Baby, staring at you from the left wall. Our Piece of Real Estate starts in a corner itself. Scramble (low 5th class) up an easy corner, and clamber onto the block where the hard climbing starts. An interesting sequence uses the splitter rattly fingers crack on the left wall combined with super-thin fingers in the actual corner. Continue with somewhat pumpy thin hands in a flare, to a great rest, then stem out to a nice wide hands crack on the right wall which leads to the anchors.
Note: you can use a 60-M rope, but the person being lowered MUST stop atop the initial low-5th class section and downclimb. I was waited to do the climb while a person from the party ahead of us was dropped nearly into my lap (from about 10 feet up) because the rope went through his belayer's atc!
Protection
Bring one 1.5 friend, two-three #2 friends, several 2.5 friends, and several 3.5 friends for the final hand/fist crack. A couple tcus may be useful for the transition to the final crack.
This route does straddle the border of 10+/11-. I think Tim Kudo did the FA, but I'm not 100% sure. Also, 2 stars is about right. Remember everyone, 2 stars at the Creek is still some mighty fine climbing.
By Tony Bubb From: Boulder, CO Feb 28, 2002 rating: 5.11a
The route's overall grade, and it's seminal climbing might be only 10+, but the weird thin moves at the bottom have spit off more than one strong climber. I left an extra rope behind me and had 2 people follow- both had trouble there. WHile this may not be what you remember about the route (which I feel is a GREAT route!), it earns it the 11a in my book.
I rap' d the route on a 60m and got to the ground just barely. The crux, getting off the block, might be hard but the climb is easy after that if you use the corner. I used it at the start and just kept using it scoring no hands rests throughout the flaired section. Just before the wide hands section, (black rock empires work well) there is a huge foot hold to the left. A good 10+ if your out of shape or have been climbing to many days in a row. A. Everhart
By Nathan Furman From: Salt Lake City, Utah Feb 20, 2007
The thin start can be lied back for those not wishing to subject their knuckles to the ring locks. Sure, placing gear is a bit strenuous, but once again the "technique of no technique" finds an application.
I would give the start of this route 11- but this route is much easier than Jane Fonda.
By Tavis Ricksecker From: flagstaff, az Nov 26, 2007 rating: 5.11-
I laid the beginning back, and I definately felt way more gripped trying to flash this thing than I did on Crack Attack that same day. I missed the key finger lock out right and almost popped off getting into the flare with my pro beneath my feet.. a certain ledge fall at that point... But I didn't pop. 11- seems fair to me.
I climbed this one straight in in the left crack. It felt really really hard. 5.11 for sure, to call that 10+ is just retarded. Maybe there is some better beta though?
Battle of the Bulge Buttress
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