[Hide Comment] Although I actually like the standard OW crack route for Schoolroom, I think this slab makes a nice variation. The flakes are very small, but provide positive movement and there is a finger crack to the left if things get too dicey before you clip the second bolt. Above the second bolt it is easy 5.4 slab moves. Jul 10, 2005

[Hide Comment] It gets very thin before you can reach the second bolt and you will reach the trees if you come off. May 17, 2006

[Hide Comment] I clipped the first bolt, then bailed to the chimney once I saw how far it was to the second bolt. Too bad, one more bolt and this would be a cool variation, just too runout for me as it is now... Apr 27, 2007

[Hide Comment] This route was climbed back in the 70's...It's in the old guidebook, Desperate Grace. Jul 2, 2007

[Hide Comment] This is one of the few slabs that i actually liked leading, i thought it was fun and added some excitement to this entire rout. This is definitely the way that you should do this rout if you want to add some spice instead of climbing the ow, or at least give it a try, its a lot of fun. Jun 16, 2009

[Hide Comment] I ended up being able to place a # 1.5 wildcountry friend after the second bolt in a crack. I would almost suggest a tricam in there, making it a little less sketchy traversing. Apr 24, 2012

[Hide Comment] As the Ruckmans' guidebook says, this is unnecessarily run out. The climbing is challenging and fun but the slab slide resulting from a leader fall just short of the 2nd bolt sucks, I know from personal experience yesterday. An intermediate bolt would significantly improve this climb, and as a result the schoolroom route also because the groveling 5.6 off width gully on the right is not all that fun either. Sep 14, 2014

[Hide Comment] Last time I climbed schoolroom I eyed this route. I climb slab a fair bit and thought it was definitely doable. I got on it clipped the first bolt and thought I would just bail to the chimney or finger crack if it got hairy.... Man does this route sucker you in. It starts off with good textured rock. I thought "wow this isn't that hard..." Also it was great climbing!

Boy was I wrong. The last 10 feet to the second bolt are the trickiest. Water runs down that part so it's either the polished patina with crumbly edges or seldom trafficked granite that turns to kitty litter. 6 feet from the bolt the kitty litter became too much for me and I came off. My belayer took in some rope and kept me out of the bushes. It's about a 25-30 foot fall from the crux. Ruined a good shirt and got covered in slab rash Yum.

I think another bolt would add some safety as I was eerily close to getting a bush up my ass. With another bolt and more traffic this would be some pretty awesome slab moves in a great location. All that being said without another bolt I'd probably go for it again. It sure is committing and I want to finish it whether or not a bolt ever gets added. Apr 23, 2017

[Hide Comment] I have a funny story about this climb. I climbed schoolroom with friends to finish out my birthday pitches last may and there were 5 of us, it was a total party climb, anyhow, my friend the Venerable Logan Collins led this slab right next to me leading the chimney. Logan and I had been climbing all day already 22 pitches in and he was climbing quickly, the kitty litter nature of this slab meant he had his foot pop and took a whipper before reaching the first bolt onto a black totem that was fully extended, basically he fell into the scrub oak belay zone. It was epic to watch my pretty green mountain biker friends reaction to this whip as well as Logan being completely unphased and just immediately starting to climb.

Anyway it gets better. He goes up for round 2, clips the bolt, gets damn run out and then another takes another fall, not onto the belay this time. In either a moment of shear brilliance or total stupidity Logan pushed backwards on the slab towards the chimney and grabbed my lead line!! Ha. My legs were all the way wedged in the squeeze and I actually caught his fall phenomenally from my harness, He then proceeded to clip my pro, and finish the route and we all rejoiced at the lovely juniper belay about the ridiculous nature of the climbing of that day. What a great birthday with a sweet bruise on my leg! If you want to make this route safer perhaps bring a friend to climb the chimney and you can clip them as pro! It worked for us ;)

In all honesty though this slab is choss and if you’re this far up why not just climb knobs to gumbyland instead? Great memory with the boys Mar 17, 2022

[Hide Comment] On 10-21-22 a bolt was added between original bolts 1 and 2 so this is no longer run out. Thanks to Lenny Nelson of the FA party for agreeing to this and providing the bolt! Oct 22, 2022