PRINT: Climb Poling Pebble, Boulder

Poling Pebble

V5, Boulder,

Avg: 2.6 from 64 votes
FA: Bob Poling, 1968
Colorado > Boulder > Flagstaff > Beer Barrel Boulder

Description

This is a really fun problem on the southeast arete of Beer Barrel Boulder. Start with the left hand down low and the right hand on a pinch on the left-angling arete/sloper system. Grap a sharp crimp left of the pinch (where the enigmatic pebble used to be) and make some hard thrutching moves over the bulge on slopers.

People either find this problem easy or hard, i.e. I've seen some very good boulderers have problems on it.

Protection

Leeper cam hook.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Chris going for the pebble on Poling Pebble.

Terri on Polling for the send!

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Adam Hicks`

This problem was the end to my tendon in my middle finger on my left hand. When I healed, I came back, tried again, got the last sloper and was attempting to high step up and over onto the slab when my left hand blew off of the crimp once again, leaving me mangled almost as bad as before. It's easy, I know I can do it, I just won't... :) Feb 5, 2003

trumpeterfrodo

This is a cool problem, but yes -- it's pretty stout. The trick is getting the foot high when pulling over the top. Another nice trick is to birdbeak the pinch at the start. I saw a guy do this problem FLAWLESSLY and with a direct start. I agree -- it's either really easy, or a nemesis. Have fun! Apr 20, 2007

Cesar Valencia

Great route with interesting holds.The key to get up and over to the slab really isthe heel hook up high. Once I figured this out, the route seemed much easier. I posted a video which shows this problem and 3 others on Beer Barrel Rock, one of which is in my guidebook but not on this site "Pinch Pebble, V5".

youtube.com/watch?v=LbUqrVj… Jan 21, 2012

Matth Person
Boulder, CO

Do the SD start for Beer Belly, and traverse into this, super fun. According to Chip Phillips' post on the Beer Barrel Loop, the line is called Static Fingers. V6?

youtube.com/watch?v=2eRSHo5…. Oct 23, 2018

Henry Lester
Boulder, CO

In the picture posted "Chris going for the pebble", the crystal cluster is not the Polling Pebble. The Pebble came out years ago. There is a mono divot where the pebble used to be (about 5 to 6 inches higher) that can be used, which made the problem a little harder than it used to be. Mar 28, 2021

Garrett Herrick

Definitely a Flagstaff classic in my mind.
youtu.be/tDZ0Fz0F8do. Mar 5, 2022