BETA PHOTO: Chicago Overhang on Feb 4, 2006. View from the gat...
Description
Overhanging, bouldery start to an overhanging, broken pumpfest.
The first part of the route is essentially a slippery, slightly overhanging boulder problem to a tiny ledge. It can be made a little easier by staying to the left. The second section is an overhanging bulge with jugs to help out. After the bulge the rest is easy.
It is described in the Ruckman guide as "the classic Rock Canyon sandbag."
It requires a fair amount of extension from the bolts to get the anchor point over the edge where a top rope won't rub excessively, so bring some 1 inch webbing or static rope.
Protection
Two bolt anchor at the top of the outcrop; a long sling or some static rope is needed to get the anchor point over the edge.
Location
Chicago Overhang is immediately east of the The Kitchen, just inside the gate. It is a north-facing, very irregular outcrop with two prominent bulges.
There is a two-bolt hanger-and-chain anchor at the top of the formation that can be used for top roping either the Chicago Overhang or Chicago's West Side. To reach the anchor requires a bit of work: Either easy Class 5 climbing - the short way, just to the south of the face itself - or Class 4 scrambling - the longer way, south up the slot between The Kitchen and Chicago's West Side and then back north on the top of the Chicago formation.
Chicago Overhang certainly seemed harder to me than any other 5.8 I've climbed, but then I'm a lousy judge of ratings. The slippery start must have spit me off six or seven times before I figured it out and I'd never fallen off a 5.8 before.
This overhang is not 5.8. The first part, if done straight on is either V1 or V2 and then the second overhang is probably a strenuous 5.8. Dangerous lead, I would toprope it before leading it. I have been doing this overhang since 1976 and it is not 5.8.
The Kitchen
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