[Hide Comment] Enjoyable and long route. Crux around the 6th bolt but is protected well. I can attest to the fall at the crux being clean! =) I've seen it done a number of different ways. Being 6'5", I grab the arete on the right but others mantle up on thin feet.

Listed as route #2 on route topo photo mountainproject.com/images/… for Las Conchas Gateway Rock. Sep 17, 2006

[Hide Comment] I agree, the crux is at the 6th bolt. Fun route! Oct 19, 2006

[Hide Comment] Fun climb, but not 5.11c IMO. (I say that because I'm not onsighting 11c and I onsighted this, which made me feel like a rockstar when I saw the rating! Maybe I just got lucky???) Bottom move is bouldery if the direct approach is taken; an easier alternative lies to the right, then it's mellow up to the crux, a move of 11, then 5.10 climbing after that. Jun 14, 2007

[Hide Comment] I also think that the crux of this route comes at the last bolt. The moves I make for the mantle feel 5.10 at most. Nov 5, 2007

[Hide Comment] I do not know if the current anchors are what the first ascension team put on there but they are currently crap--1/4" diameter quick links with a breaking strength of less than 800 pounds I would bet. Next time I am out there I will replace them. If anyone else gets there first, bring a wrench and put some real hardware on there before someone who does not know any better craters while TRing directly through the anchors. Someone was way too stingy with the anchor setup and needs to replace the crux bolt. Apr 27, 2008

[Hide Comment] Caution: 6/8/09 I was warned by other climbers that the hangers on the top half of this rout were loose! One person said that the nut was not even finger tight one one bolt. So be aware and maybe carry a wrench if you plan to climb this route. Jun 9, 2009

[Hide Comment] Actually all the bolts on this are a little crusty... starting to develop some corosion or something in addition to being a little wimpier than the usual bomber bolts. The one protecting the crux isn't all that tight either, and the nature of the positioning is such that a good fall off the crux would pull as much out of the wall as straight down. I definitely didn't want to roll off the crux onto that bolt.

That said, the crux is a great move, I was doing it with a super high (scary) heel-hook on the arete, turning the crimp into a mantle (short-kid beta). Agreed with the poster who said 11c was a little, well, generous... I'd put this at 11a at hardest. I can also attest that, with the exception of the last two moves, this stays bone dry in the rain... Jul 4, 2009

[Hide Comment] Some nuts can use tightening again as of 6-5-10. I am not saying that it is unsafe, like the studs are going to rip out, just that the nuts are loose and whoever climbs it next should bring a wrench.

I agree that the climb is in the 5.10 range. Maybe 5.10b or c. Jun 4, 2010

[Hide Comment] The last bolt is still gone. Expect about 15~20 feet runout to the anchors. Not hard, but mentally taxing as you make moves onto an over hanging exposed arete. Especially when the bolts look kinda dinky.

My belayer actually saw the last bolt laying in the dirt and didn't say anything to me as I was climbing. I'm glad because it would have freaked me out. Jul 8, 2010

[Hide Comment] The 7th bolt is still missing as of July 7th, 2010... the runout isn't terribly difficult but a fall from anywhere above where the 7th bolt used to be would be a recipe for broken bones with the way the rock below is. Jul 19, 2010

[Hide Comment] Seriously, the entire bolt pulled out? Or did just the hanger come off? Is it an empty hole in the rock now? Wild. Jul 20, 2010

[Hide Comment] The entire bolt (#7) was pulled out. Jul 21, 2010

[Hide Comment] I was able to use the existing hole on bolt 7 since the previous bolt had come clean out. I just drilled it bigger for the 1/2" bolt. I'd never seen threaded glue-ins like that and I'm not sold on 'em. As you tighten the nut on the hanger the torque is trying to pull the bolt out and the only resistance is the glue. Personally, I'd be happier with a wedge or sleeve bolt more than I would this setup.

That said, I took a crow bar to bolt 6 (the one at the crux) and worked for 15 to 20 minutes to get it out. Based on how easily bolt 7 had slid out, I figured bolt 6 would come clean out too. It pulled out about 1/2"" before it sheered. So the bolts are definitely plenty strong and I'd trust them for this application. I do wonder about the longevity of the glue, though. But I've never used glue-ins.

So anyway, I counter-sunk the old stud and drilled a new hole for bolt 6. I used 3" x 1/2" SS sleeve bolts for the replacements. Jul 22, 2010

[Hide Comment] I attempted to climb this one this weekend. The crux had me a little bamboozled and after taking a pretty ugly fall on my best attempt at getting up/around the block, I decided to leave it for another day. Looking at the route photo now I can see that it looks like there is a bolt missing just below the crux which is probably part of why the fall was a bit more than I felt comfortable with.

Is the sequence really to use the holds on the far (left side) of the block to work your feet up so that you can grab the finger crack with your right hand and then mantle off the hold on the bottom of the block to get your feet up on the nose of the block?

I'm not sure I was approaching this correctly and I think i needed another 3-5 inches higher on my mantle to get my foot on the block. Jun 23, 2014

[Hide Comment] Hey Nathan, I don't think the bolt protecting the crux is missing (it was there a few weeks ago when I last climbed the route.) As I recall it's just below the crux bulge. I replaced that bolt a few years ago with a higher-quality 1/2" bolt after the original, weird bolt had taken a beating from falls.
It is a bit of a fall but a clean fall, if I recall correctly. Allison (the one pictured here) does the crux by getting her right hand in the crack and laying it back to get above the bulge. I'm too tall for that beta so I reach our right to the arete and a hidden right foot near the arete to power up over the bulge with my left hand in the crack. I've also seen people go really far left and kind of avoid the bulge but that fall would be nasty. Jun 23, 2014

[Hide Comment] Jason, thanks for the beta on the crux. Unless I'm really turned around, the bolt pictured in this photo dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u… that i've drawn a box around isn't there.

I think that one is the one I was thinking was protecting the crux, but you're right there is another bolt right by her hip that is the one I fell to. I had to look a little more closely at the picture. I remember having to yard back up to it and then get a little slack to get my left foot into the area under the block.

It was late in the day and my fall twisted me around a bit. To your point, it was a clean.

I need to find that hidden right foot next time I give this one a go.

Thanks again! Jun 23, 2014

[Hide Comment] Oh, yes, Nathan, that fifth bolt is missing its hanger currently. I've been meaning to replace the hanger but haven't been back up there yet. Hope it goes well for you next time! Jun 24, 2014

[Hide Comment] The 5th bolt (would protect the cool move on the big flake) is missing the hanger as of June 24th 2017. Also a few of the hangers were spinning on the bolts (3 and 4 i think) but the nuts were at least finger tight (sorry I didn't have a wrench). Jun 25, 2017

[Hide Comment] The bolts used on this route are shite. Essentially it needs entirely re-bolting. I took a hanger up a few weeks ago to replace this but didn't have the right sized nut. Jun 25, 2017

[Hide Comment] Just a mere three years later but I finally fixed up the fifth bolt this evening. I drilled a new hole on the right side of the dihedral at about the same height for the new bolt. I didn't use the old bolt stud for a couple reasons:
1.) All the original bolts on this are wonky. I didn't have a nut for the non-standard size and it didn't protrude much from the rock anyway.
2.) The location on the left side of the dihedral meant the rope ran from bolt five on the left to bolt six on the right making for a situation where a falling leader got flossed by the rope or, worse, got their leg behind it. With the new bolt location, the rope is in line with the other bolts and alleviates the undesirable rope line.

I need to get back there with a dremel and cut the old bolt off. Jul 11, 2017

[Hide Comment] Major thanks to Jason Halladay for fixing the bolt issue! I climbed this a few weeks ago and loved the route with the exception of the bolting. Saw it today while leaving and noticed what appeared to be a bolt I didn't remember. Can't wait to get back on it. Thanks Jason for all the work you put into these routes! Jul 23, 2017

[Hide Comment] I never climbed this before Jason fixed the bolts, but I can say that now this is a very safe lead. This first bolt is best stick clipped as it protects the hardest moves on the climb (V0+/V1).
The rest of the bolts are clippable from great stances and protect the other tricky moves. Great rests abound between the stacked puzzles. I propose the route description be updated as the 'scary' language no longer applies. Any decent belayer would be able to keep their climber safe with the directions the bolts pull falls and the bolt spacing.

Try this route, it is a joy. May 12, 2024