This is excellent desert face and friction. This long and fairly sustained route weaves it's way up and right of a bulge and back left again to an anchor some 100 feet up. The length of the climb itself is more like 115ft due to weaving. However, you CAN get down with one 200ft / 60m rope, because when you clean your quickdraws on the way down your rope meets the 100 ft requirement to the ground with just a little room to spare.. BEWARE BELAYER: Tie a knot in the end of the rope to be sure there is no chance of lowering your leader off the end of the rope!
Some say there are two cruxes, and some say that there are no cruxes past the bulge... What I say is that the one crux is high on the climb above the bulge. It's some nearly 100% friction moves about 5 or 6 feet off the last piton that sent me for a slide. The second effort I went back up and pulled through the moves with more confidence which seemed to be the key. The whole route is sustained and "cruxy", but this was definitely the crux to me, and is to others who have climbed this route. I've seen two climbers who I deemed better than myself both fall at this spot. I've also heard about a few climbers I know to be far above average fall in this spot.
Anyway, this route is a GREAT RIDE, buy a ticket and submit your comments.
Protection
Bring 10 quickdraws, and I think you'll have an extra one, unless you need it for your anchor. If you feel the need, there is an oppurtunity to place gear before the 1st bolt, but if you're attempting this route in the first place, you probably wouldn't need it.
This climb is slippery and frustrating. Smearing on sandstone is a new skill that apparently takes time to master. Even worse is to be here on a day when Jimmy Dunn is here doing many of these climbs one handed.
Great desert slab route. This ain't no granite friction. Crux is up high and leader must climb well above pro. One can always find booty high on this potash classic. Climb after rainstorm for increased difficulty.
Climbing any sandstone immediately following a rain storm is not a good idea as the rock is very soft at this time and the route may be changed forever.
I thought this was a great route until I reached the bolt just below the last piton...super heady climbing above and super run-out...about 20 feet to the piton on smears which could lead to a 40 footer if you go south...I climbed up and then down climbed this section about 4 times before bailing on a biner i left...call me a pussy but it wasn't worth breaking some bones and getting cheese grated for...the ground up bolting ethic is insane and i give lots of credit to these animals for getting it done
wow, what a route! definitely had to tap into the rock warrior for this one. don't these routes get a little harder the older they get? i feel like it's at least an 11... hey jordan, i think i have your 'biner. is it an omega oval? i'll gladly send it to you if you want it. lemme know!
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