Durrance Prereq Climbs

Looking to try for Durrance in August and wondered if anyone had recommendations on prereq climbs. New to OW and am interested in practicing techniques before hopping on it. SLC local but willing to travel farther afield to CoR and Voo (others?) to practice. The upper section of Columbia Crack in CoR comes to mind. Many thanks for any other thoughts or pointers. 

Charlotte

If you just want to work on OW you could try working some of the offwidth boulders in LCC as seen here. 

Durrance Route, Devil's Tower?

Yup! Thanks for the clarification. 

IMHO you don't need any offwidth technique for Durrance. The offwidth pitch is more about stemming, 

That's what I remember, too, stem it and go.  By the time the off width appears you get a pair of cracks to climb and can mix it up to find good jams.  Super fun route.  My first trad climb ever.  

Not a bad idea to get up to speed on wider cracks before climbing the Durrance Route. The wide cracks on the Durrance route aren’t that hard, but the route is long. Decades ago, the University of Wyoming Outing Club had TM Chimney (7+) as a prerequisite climb for going to Devils Tower. TM is distinctly harder than anything on Durrance. If you decide to come to Vedauwoo, Mother #1, Lower (the left of the 2 lower Slots), Upper Slot, and Handjacker   in the 7 to 7+ range will meet your needs.

https://www.mountainproject.com/v/tm-chimney/105751261

https://www.mountainproject.com/v/mother-1/105751369

https://www.mountainproject.com/v/lower-slot-and-upper-slot/105751849

https://www.mountainproject.com/v/105751843?search=1&type=route&method=resultsPage&query=handjacker

rob.calm

rack left on the crux pitch and go for it. 

you don't need any OW experience to climb Durrance .

I can't speak to climbs to train on but I will say that having a number 5 c4 and walking it up the crack in places was confidence inspiring for me.

Nothing can prepare you for the butt kicking of a life time while climbing Durance. Just pray you don't die

You dont really need much training for the offwidth, just know how to jam those shoulders in. Dont carry a pack (haul if you must), and use that number 5 for the extra security. 

The heat in August is what you should be concerned with. Take plenty of water.

certainly Durrance did not have a #5......  Is my memory correct.  Didn't fritz lead the wide pitch on the Durrance first??

Wait and climb it next June

Lol.  Don't start that again...

It may be one of those "if you have to ask the question - you already know the answer".  The route takes good pro - and no special climbing techniques - go for it and have fun.  You can always bail if necessary (but it won't be I'm sure).

"Fritz" didn't do the Durrance, he climbed a totally different crack system---wider, harder, more sustained and hairier than anything on the Durrance--hence MUCH less frequently climbed--and his only protection on the climb--or at least the crux pitch--was his ability.