Variation on Hobbit Book?

My partner and I climbed Hobbit Book a few days ago and I got the joy, if you can call it that, of leading the 3rd pitch. I'm generally fine on runout face climbs and onsight around 5.8-5.9. I checked the book before heading out into the sea of patina flakes, but once I hit the bolt, the line going straight up looked to be extremely thin and much harder than moving left. So I went left and tiptoed further and further from the bolt until I could barely see the quickdraw. I found a placement for an offset nut in a seam and a red C3 in an undercling not far away. I highly doubt either would have held a fall. I wandered mostly left of the seam, pulling a few 5.8 moves and found a grey X4 placement in a finger crack. It probably would have held. Finally I found a pod with a thin crack above it that took 3 small nuts, 20-25 feet left of the normal 3rd belay station. I built a belay and brought my partner up. Above and right was an easily protectable flake that led to the base of the final dihedral.

I know I was between Middle Earth and Hobbit Book, I could see the "cave" mentioned down and left of me. Looking at the R/F guide, I was directly below the 5.8R final variation of Middle Earth, most likely along the traverse that connects Middle Earth and Hobbit Book.

Once we got down, I asked around the meadows but nobody had ever heard of a climb going up and left of the bolt. I'm curious if anybody has. The crack I found was grassy and I didn't see any evidence of anybody having climbed up that way (no bolt holes or pin scars). Any ideas? I can type up a better description of the line we took if needed. I'll try to post a pic too with the line I took drawn in.

Not to sound like a jerk, but on a line that sees hundreds of ascents per year, many by noobs who get off-route, it is unlikely that you found a "new" variation to HB. One of my all time favorite climbs btw.

Yes!!!!!!!!

We haven't had one of these in a while. It's about time.

Do it again! You missed the money section of the money pitch!!!

Cool, you had a fun time exploring!

People have climbed out that way for years, I know one guide who goes over there regularly. Adding it to a guidebook would be sketchy due to the marginal pro and wandering line (not to mention delicate flakes).

Fair nuff. I'm not worried about an FA to be frank, I just wanted some info because I couldn't find any in the meadows. Anything you share would be nice.

Greg Barnes wrote:Cool, you had a fun time exploring! People have climbed out that way for years, I know one guide who goes over there regularly. Adding it to a guidebook would be sketchy due to the marginal pro and wandering line (not to mention delicate flakes).

Lol Greg, it was quite the learning experience. I definitely don't recommend going that way but for some reason it looked easy to me.

cs: you didn't sound like a jerk, we both kind of doubted it hadn't been done, but a provocative title gets results. :P