This is probably the finest sustained handcrack that I have done to date in Vedauwoo.
The route lies on the West side fo the Valley Massif. You must climb the first Pitch of the route "Hammer" to a bolted belay to get to Tool Or Die.
Hammer is a fun first pitch (5.7 or 5.8) but as I have only done 1/2 of said route, and I am sure many have done the whole route, I do not feel qualified to write about the rest here. Perhaps, someone who has done the whole route can add it to the site?
From the bolted belay, work a few feet up the hammer crack, placing a piece on a 2' sling. Grab a huge undercling flake and work another piece up in it, while moving to its right-hand-side. Place a good small stopper (maybe #5 or #6 BD?) in a small bottomed out crack. You see the crack up and to your right about 10 feet? Well, you have to get to that. As stated in the book, this crack is a 5.9. Getting to it, however...
Now, do the crux. Move up and left of the undercling flake one of several ways, probably up to a left-lieback, stem right, and then sink in the fingers far to your right. Make a few moves up here to reach the handcrack. Good gear is available the whole way, but if you are pushing your grades at 5.10a, you probably either just did a runout or fell fidgeting with gear.
You will finish at the top on a bolted anchor. Rap twice to the ground, or ONCE with a 70m. A two-rope rap is not recommended, because you might get them stuck in the nearby cracks.
Protection
A few stoppers small to midrange, plus a handful of hand-sized cams are needed for this pitch.
It is a climb that is well worth doing. Beautiful setting, beautiful crack, great pro. I actually went straight up then right on the crux, and it was a couple of fun moves. You can protect the crux below the hanging flake, than just move till you get into the hand crack. Great climb!!!
Super sweet. Do p.1 of Hammer, and then just keep motoring right into Tool Or Die. Two decent stoppers can be placed before moving off the flake (i.e. right before committing to the crux "inverted V-slot"), and from there to the top, it's nothing but slamma jamma.
Funky entrance, and a GREAT hand crack... very unlike Vedawoo. It is possible to toprope hammer off of the bolts - a fun experiment to see how much more whipped you feel after an offwidth that is at least a grade easier.
P1 of Hammer was anti-climatic. Sweet moves at the begining of Tool though. A .5 Camalot right under the flake worked well to protect the mini-traverse. I was happy to have multiple #2 BD cams for the handcrack as well.
Valley Massif
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