Dylan leads up the bottom, easy section of Piece o...
Description
Piece of Dirt is located on the "Rat Brain" section of Poland Hill, on top and to the right as you approach. It is the first route of any substance to the right of the obvious, right-angling, Kim crack, and is an equal distance to the left of the classic and equally obvious, plumbline offwidth Fantasia. Once you get up to the Rat Brain (done by circling around to the east of Poland Hill and then following your nose up some slabs), the route will be the reasonably clear line of fairly new bolts (in 1999) following the right side of a large, semi-circular flake to a slab above.
Launch yourself into a full-on lieback on the flake, clipping the first three bolts in the process (10-). Make sure you are solid before pulling up rope for the clips - it's easy to blow it and launch yourself from this position. Make the transition from lieback to vertical slab (crux), and then follow the slab past two more bolts to a bolted anchor up and right. Although the rope drag leaves something to be desired, can be TR'd by leaving the last bolt clipped as a directional.
This is a fun pitch. I remember it feeling a little spacey between the bolts after the crux. There are still some slab moves to be had. But, that's what I liked about it.
Instead of using the bolted anchors up there for toproping, build an anchor (1-2" seemed to work well) straight up from the last bolt. Much less rope drag in general.
The second clip is a bit of a puzzle to me. I made a dicey clip from below where I still felt okay about falling on the first bolt. The better, more liebacked, stance next to the bolt I would not want to blow. Love the climb, though.
By climber73 From: Fort Collins, CO Jun 26, 2007 rating: 5.10d
If you think this feels run out or 11ish, go and lead Fall Wall and Gunga Din. After those this route feels like a pretty laid back 5.10+. 5.9ish laybacking at the bottom, 1 move 5.10+ crux, finish on 5.9+ and easier slab.
Poland Hill
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