Mountain Project Logo
To save paper & ink, use the [Hide] controls next to photos and comments so you only print what you need.

V8 Crack

5.10+, Trad, 80 ft (24 m),  Avg: 3.9 from 122 votes
FA: FA (Aid): Dean Hobbs, 1974. FFA: Mike Graber, Mike Farrell, Rick Wheeler, 1976.
California > Eastern Sierra > Bishop Area > Cardinal Pinnacle

Description

An exceptional arching crack on beautiful orange granite. Steep and difficult for the grade, it requires endurance. The crux is about 15 feet of thin hands through a couple bulges/small roofs.

Location

The route is not on The Cardinal Pinnacle proper; it is on the small formation to the left. Rap the route or scramble off the backside. Lots of loose rock at the top so be careful while rappelling or belaying your second up.

Protection

1 to 4" cams, doubles in 2-3" sizes

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Me placing a cam at the crux - photo courtesy G. Helm
[Hide Photo] Me placing a cam at the crux - photo courtesy G. Helm
Greg Jackson starts up the jagged 'V8 Crack'
[Hide Photo] Greg Jackson starts up the jagged 'V8 Crack'
Garrett at the good rest after the green-red camalot crux.
[Hide Photo] Garrett at the good rest after the green-red camalot crux.
Greg Jackson on 'V8 Crack'
[Hide Photo] Greg Jackson on 'V8 Crack'
Resting
[Hide Photo] Resting
V8 crack as seen from P1 anchor of West Face. Scramble up and belay from the ledge. Mussy hooks anchor set slightly back from the edge up top.
[Hide Photo] V8 crack as seen from P1 anchor of West Face. Scramble up and belay from the ledge. Mussy hooks anchor set slightly back from the edge up top.
Final few moves before reaching topping out and clipping the anchor. I carried triples of .75, 1, and 3 and used them all. Plenty of backcleaning involved
[Hide Photo] Final few moves before reaching topping out and clipping the anchor. I carried triples of .75, 1, and 3 and used them all. Plenty of backcleaning involved
Ethan on V8 crack
[Hide Photo] Ethan on V8 crack
two climbers on the beautiful V8 crack!
[Hide Photo] two climbers on the beautiful V8 crack!
At the very top you can exit either left or right. Choose wisely.
[Hide Photo] At the very top you can exit either left or right. Choose wisely.
Upper section dual cracks.
[Hide Photo] Upper section dual cracks.
Greg Jackson in thin hands just past the first crux
[Hide Photo] Greg Jackson in thin hands just past the first crux

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Haydn
  5.10a/b
[Hide Comment] This route is excellent but much easier than 10d, more like 10a/b. Jul 9, 2010
Aerili
Los Alamos, NM
 
[Hide Comment] Um, no. Sep 8, 2010
Karsten Duncan
Sacramento, CA
 
[Hide Comment] A superb route that climbs as exciting as it looks. Lots of different sizes and movement required on this route.

It is definately not 10b especially comparing it to other ratings at this crag. Sep 9, 2010
Victor Lawson
Bishop, CA
[Hide Comment] New, bolted anchor w/ Mussy hooks installed today (9-15-10), and all chewed up tat removed. You can still reach the anchors from the top for TRing.

vic lawson Sep 14, 2010
AWinters
NH
  5.10b/c
[Hide Comment] thanks Vic Sep 30, 2010
slim

  5.10b
[Hide Comment] i thought this route was extremely easy for the grade also. i have a hard time believing dale would call it 10d. he would probably call it 10a or so. the crack is really user friendly and there are a lot of peripheral hold for the hands and feet. the difficulties are over really quickly, then it is just secure and fun.

i racked up after looking at it from the pinnacle, and thought it would be #1 camalot and smaller (should have brought up to a 3 or 3.5 camalot). needless to say i was kind of in trouble with gear early on and had to do some budgeting. luckily the climbing is really secure and you can spend some time horsing around with gear a bit. Jul 12, 2011
Josh Dibble
Mammoth Lakes, CA
 
[Hide Comment] SPLITTER ALERT!!! May 24, 2013
W L
NEVADASTAN
  5.10d
[Hide Comment] Outstanding route! When you look around at the splitter #1 sized roof, your jaw may in fact hit your belayer - ten cuidado!

Stellar, stellar climb. When I was up there a month or two ago the crowds were too great for West Face or Crack Kingdom, yet this was so good I was pretty satisfied. Five stars! Oct 2, 2013
Johnny Y
California
 
[Hide Comment] Got sucked into the wide crack on the left, felt harder than the bottom half! Would go right the next time. Sep 11, 2014
Tomko
SANTA CLARA CA
  5.10a
[Hide Comment] Awesome climb and don't be afraid of the reported 10+ rating; the climb is more like 10a or sustained 5.9. The crux for me (and the other 2 people I climbed this with) was the first 10 feet off the ground on the flake traverse. Once established in the crack itself its fun and easy! Jul 9, 2017
[Hide Comment] I think the grade disparity in the comments is pretty much "How hard are #1 jams for me"

Small hands? Great. Big hands? Well that's great too, because it's still an awesome splitter.

I think the right exit through the final roof is the way to go, much better than going left up through some loose stuff. Jul 8, 2019
Karasu Tokioka
Flagstaff, AZ
  5.10
[Hide Comment] My two cents:

10d I think not. 10a, a bit of a sandbag. 5.10b or 5.10 even makes sense. Yes, the climbing is straightforward on a splitter like this, but it is pumpy. Aug 3, 2021
Kyle Broxterman
Las Vegas, NV
  5.10
[Hide Comment] I did not find the thin hands roof to be the crux, but the thinner vertical crack just before it. After I got passed the roof I was so incredibly pumped I had to shake out for almost 10mins. Maybe I did not climb this efficiently..but it felt like solid pumpy 5.10 climbing. After the roof the route eases off tremendously. I personally would recommend 3 x .75s for the lower crack before the roof. Jul 30, 2024
Cosmic Hotdog
California
  5.10b/c
[Hide Comment] Awesome line. I think calling it 5.9 or 5.10a is sandbagging. At least very sustained 5.10a, more like 5.10b/c feels fair and emphasis on it being sustained. If 0.75 and 1 size is rattly fingers/thin hands for you (it is for me), this is going to feel challenging. Take all the 0.75, 1, and #3 cams you've got or be prepared to backclean :)

Chain anchor w/mussy hooks at the top. Great climb to do while the west face conga line is in action. Aug 25, 2024