Crack in the Woods 

Just lead this after following it the first time. A very soft 5.9 if it is one. Great lead for breaking into the grade - gear is very easy to get anywhere you want it.

I would agree with Andrew after leading it for the first time this morning. It is a soft 5.9, and it gobbles up gear. It is a nice climb, just way short.

It has long been assumed that these routes (crack in the woods and handjive) have their grades switched. Crack in the woods is closer to 5.8, while handjive seems more like a LCC 5.9. Maybe I am wrong, but have always felt this to be true, and many others do as well. What do you think?

That would make sense, cause I zipped up Crack in the Woods on lead, and Hand Jive on second caused me to gulp a couple of times. Although, in my defense the crux was wet and slippery still. I need to do it again now that it is drier.

I thought the grade of this and Hand Jive were suspect the day I on-sighted this (supposed 5.9) and backed off Hand Jive before I even started up it. TCU's are great on this.

Fun route that would be better if it was longer and didn't have the chimney start. 5.8+ sounds like a good rating. The last 10-15 feet are really easy. Didn't have time to do Hand Jive. That just gives me an excuse to go climbing again. I agree that TCU's or other small cams woudld be great. I didn't have any and would've liked them.

Umm ... yeah, there are some small hand jams, but fingers would be a more accurate description for most of this shorty.

Lookinh through Dave Smiths Guide (Wasatch Granite) he gives Hand Jive a grade of 5.10ish in 1977. Crack in the Woods was not in the book, but I thought this climb was MUCH easier than other classic nines and even easier than the eights in the area. Would be three stars if it was longer. Just my two cents...

Fun stuff. I think the name really reflects the route well, a quaint little climb. really good gear, wish the trasnfer to hand jive didnt look as scary.