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Lardbutt

5.13c, Sport, 45 ft (14 m),  Avg: 3.1 from 7 votes
FA: Jim Thornburg, 1994
California > Central Coast > Pinnacles NP > E Side > Monolith > N Face
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Description

This is a short and powerful sport route up the N face of the Monolith. There is some loose or hollow rock on the route, but over the years, since the late 90's, nothing significant has come off so it is pretty solid. Long moves to start followed by powerful movement on small holds up the butt feature.

Start by stemming up a left facing corner formed by the wall and an adjacent block. Traverse left onto the face with some very long reaches and up to a point just below the butt feature. This first bit is very physical but on pretty good holds. Move in the roof with some underclings then up the short left facing corner/arete feature with hard moves off of much smaller holds. Finish this section with a tough move to a perfect 4 finger square knob at the top of the corner. From this point a few long but easier moves that require good foot work take you to the top and the anchors.

Protection

5 Bolts to a bolted anchor and a stick clip. The landing under the high first bolt is pretty bad so a stick clip is a really nice thing to have. If you don't have a stick with you it is possible to climb up above where the route traverses and reach down and left to clip the first bolt.

Location
On the short north face of the Monolith starting out of a pit between the trail and the wall. You will see an obvious small roof that curves to a left facing corner about half way up the wall, the route starts down and right in a corner between the wall and another block. Moves up and left ot the "butt" and back right slightly to finish.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Nathaniel Potter mid-crux on Lard Butt.<br>
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Photo - Kyle Queener
[Hide Photo] Nathaniel Potter mid-crux on Lard Butt. Photo - Kyle Queener

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

[Hide Comment] Jim's description of his own route finally got updated...

I kinda liked the previous version, at least for examples sake.... Feb 15, 2010
LeeAB Brinckerhoff
Austin, TX
  5.13c
[Hide Comment] Sorry Adam. Jun 7, 2010
Kyle Q
Bishop, CA
  5.13b/c
A C
Your moms house
  5.13c
[Hide Comment] bring a knee pad, makes life a bit easier in both the low crux (bolt 1) and the corner crux Apr 22, 2020