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A Deal with the Devil

5.10c, Sport,  Avg: 1.2 from 13 votes
FA: Nate Postma (1990)
Minnesota > Red Wing (a.k.a… > Large Roof Area

Description

The beginning of this route shares the dihedral and bolts with Talking with God. Climb up the dihedral to just under the roof. From here do a delicate traverse protected with a rusty, unreliable bolt (use long draws under the roof!). Pull the lip of the roof on the left, clip another bolt and climb to the shuts (some loose rock).

This isn't actually a bad route, the moves are interesting and the traverse is fun. However, given the combination of rusty bolts and rotten rock above the roof, until the bolts get replaced, climbing it should be considered very risky. If you fall from above the roof and the bolt rips, you could easily deck.

Protection

bolts. please use your own gear for toprope.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Sean Patrick
Minneapolis, MN
  5.10c R
[Hide Comment] Continuously sandy and dirty, and speckled with little rust spots (they used to be bolts - back in 1975(?)), climbing this route is an adventure. It's more dangerous than a couple of R rated 10's that I've done elsewhere, and ties with ESP for most dangerous route at the crag.
Could be a good route with fresh bolts and some traffic. Oct 25, 2007
Darin Limvere
[Hide Comment] Be sure to traverse with your hands a couple feet below the roof. It's a whole different climb if you traverse at the roof. Unfortunately, there's still an old rusted out, possibly home made bolt that protects the traverse. I saw it hold a fall about 9 years ago. Who knows what would happen now. Oct 31, 2007
Backwards Eric
Fargo, ND
 
[Hide Comment] A month or so ago (June 2015) I added a new bolt to protect the traverse. There are still some rusty ones after you do the traverse and climb up, but none as bad as that one under the roof.

If you're doing this route, you really should have a second top-rope up, cleaning the leader's quickdraws (it'd be sketchy to try to swing back under the roof and clean them yourself).

Also, lots of choss, both going up the corner and along the traverse. Jul 9, 2015