Chouinard's Crack [Suggest Change]

I think this route is fan-bloody-tastic. Next to Amazing face, my favorite at Diablo. It is rated 5.8 in Bay Area Rock - I think it's more appropriately rated on this site as 5.9 or 5.9+.

The crux begins at the flaring of the crack and continues through an area of a couple of good left side lay-backs (with right and/or left hand). It is tricky until you find the small, but plentiful footholds on the right wall and take advantage of palming with the left hand.

To set this route access the large tree about 15 feet from the top of the crack by an easy access route 20 feet or so to the left of the crack. There are *steps* carved into the rock almost all the way to the tree. Dec 5, 2004

I also think this route is 5.9 . It was somewhat sandy but still quite fun and worth doing. I belayed my friend up from the top. There are huge scars in the soft rock from repeated toproping. I anchored off a tree about 30 feet back from the end of the climb. Just as I was starting to belay, I noticed a set of anchors right next to me. They are easy to miss, they are on the right side of the top of the route and they actually face away from the route. Nov 30, 2008

Seriously, 5.9+? There is only one move of 5.8 on the route. Aug 20, 2011

5.8- at most. Honestly this is 15 feet of slimy, poor-protected crack climbing and 40 feet of even slimier, impossibly-protected 5.6 chimney-ing. Not recommended. Jan 9, 2013

A 2-bolt anchor station was recently added above the tree that offers top roping for this route with minimal rope drag on the rock. Aug 18, 2013