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Partners in Crime

5.11c, Sport, 60 ft (18 m),  Avg: 3.4 from 173 votes
FA: K. McLaughlin, Glenn Schuler
Colorado > Canon City > Shelf Rd > Sand Gulch > Free Form Wall

Description

This has a height-dependent start. Find the perfect round hole in the face, then look up for the next hold. This will test your ape index and probably fry your forearms. It is a bit sporty to the second bolt and the climbing is hard, so beware. Find superb flakes, sidepulls, and pockets all the way to the top.

Per Matt Richardson: start on sharp pockets (as all climbs on this wall seem to). Move to a good pocket to the left of the first bolt. From here is the first and most technical crux of the route (no groundfall potential with a good belayer). There are several options, but all involve moving off a shallow, two finger (one if you have big hands) pocket to some bomber pockets to the right. I make this in one static slow move (I am 6'2"), but smaller folks will want to find an intermediate. The rest of the route is thin with some good rests. A final, thin crux is found immediately below the bulge at the top of the route. You will be fighting the pump at the anchors.

This is a combination of two descriptions submitted for the same route.

Protection

Bolts to chains.

Per Matt Richardson: 8 or 9 (?) draws to the top.

Location

Per Matt Richardson: This incredible route is sandwiched immediately between Helter Skelter and Pedestrian Gene Pool (11b) to the left of the crack separating Cyborg and Village Idiot.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Pascal on Partners (during sunset).
[Hide Photo] Pascal on Partners (during sunset).
New anchors.  Hardware provided by ASCA.
[Hide Photo] New anchors. Hardware provided by ASCA.
Darkness chasing Falon.
[Hide Photo] Darkness chasing Falon.
Just past the crux. Photo by Dr. Caroline Schoo, Esq and belay by Lady Dott, Esq.
[Hide Photo] Just past the crux. Photo by Dr. Caroline Schoo, Esq and belay by Lady Dott, Esq.
Austin on Partners.
[Hide Photo] Austin on Partners.
Austin on Partners.
[Hide Photo] Austin on Partners.
Old anchors....
[Hide Photo] Old anchors....
Sam onsighting Partners in Crime.
[Hide Photo] Sam onsighting Partners in Crime.
Cruisin' up another one of those "Partner's in Crime" classics.
[Hide Photo] Cruisin' up another one of those "Partner's in Crime" classics.
Just past the crux.
[Hide Photo] Just past the crux.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

[Hide Comment] Harrison Fox - That perfectly round hole at the start of the route is an awesome hold. First use it as a pocket and then an undercling. If you get your feet up high and undercling like crazy it makes the reach to the next hold a piece of cake. Jan 1, 2001
[Hide Comment] I believe Kevin McLaughlin did the FFA on this one, and I think he originally called it Partners in Climb.... Jan 9, 2005
SCherry
Boulder, CO
[Hide Comment] Tried and tried this route in the spring of this year. At 5'8", it felt quite desperate, and I actually never sent the crux. If you can't span the reach from underclinging good pocket, you must use a couple of really bad holds, or throw a huge dyno. Must be at least 5.12 for those short folks. Any comments/suggestions? Aug 21, 2006
Meredith DB
Boulder, CO
 
[Hide Comment] I found the crux to be doable using small intermediate holds, and I'm 5'5". The sequence seems height-dependent: the 4 of us who tried this route each did the crux differently. To me it seemed like a choice between using the crimpy intermediates or doing a dyno. Apr 25, 2007
Andrew Iltis
Denver, CO
[Hide Comment] The description given is a little misleading. The first bolt is a bit high, but is gained by easy moves to a jug pocket to clip from. Tall persons are able to bypass two tiny pockets with high feet and a long reach up and left to a good edge. Shorter persons must do two extra V3-ish moves on crappy feet to gain the good edge and higher jugs. The rest of the route is sustained and somewhat reachy. One clip in particular tests the 24 hr underarm deoderant you appied two days before. All in all, this makes a great redpoint for those who max out in the upper .11s. Jun 12, 2007
Matt Richardson
Longmont, CO
  5.11
[Hide Comment] I am not sure what is misleading about this description - the first bolt (and all other bolts) seem reasonably placed if the route is within your ability. I climbed this route with a girl who is 5' tall and she seemed to have no problem with it, so I am not sure what Andrew means by "reachy". I do believe that the bottom-most crux is probably more difficult the shorter you are. Jun 21, 2007
Kevin McLaughlin
Colorado Springs
[Hide Comment] F.A. K. McLaughlin, Glenn Schuler. Good quality limestone all the way. A great route at this grade (a bit tougher if you are not so tall). We were the "Partners In Crime" on this one. Jan 8, 2008
SCherry
Boulder, CO
[Hide Comment] Went back to this one on 2/9/08. It's either small fingers or being tall to have an advantage on the low crux at the first bolt. Definitely feels 11+/12- to me! But a great climb no matter what. Feb 11, 2008
AOSR
Green Mnt
  5.11c
[Hide Comment] Glad I didn't read the paragraphs of beta spewing on this post before I did the route. Geeze, it's even in the actual route description.... Sep 26, 2010
Derek Lawrence
  5.11c
[Hide Comment] Anchors replaced 12/10/11. Big thanks to ASCA for providing the hardware! Dec 12, 2011
Tom R
Denver, CO
[Hide Comment] Thanks, Derek! Dec 12, 2011
Ben Hall
Boulder, CO
  5.11c
[Hide Comment] Onsight to retrieve draws led to a very enjoyable climb. It's an understatement to say that it's a bouldery start. It is a bonafide Boulder problem. Great climb! Accurate grade.* Feb 14, 2013
doug rouse
Denver, CO.
[Hide Comment] Stretch your pecs prior to sending/not a warm-up route exactly. Mar 26, 2014