[Hide Comment] A C4 #6 can be slid up the wide crack at the top for a ways (but the rock walls of the crack are a bit grungy). I thought the crux was the short section just before gaining the traverse crack to the ledge below the wide crack. The wide crack was tricky and more of a mind game, but the holds were there for the most part. The lower section is easy and fun, great for a novice leader to climb, place pro, and downclimb if they have a more experienced partner to climb up it afterward and evaluate their gear and finish out the climb. Apr 6, 2011

[Hide Comment] The first half of the climb was a really nice crack and the traverse was fun too. However, this climb is definitely harder than 5.2 and the chimney section above may be scary for a beginner due to the lack of pro. My friend Shannon did an excellent job keeping her head about her as she ran out the chimney. She did use the equivalent of a #5 Camalot at the start of the chimney, but above that there was no more pro. May 22, 2011

[Hide Comment] I didn't go in the chimney, I climbed the righthand rib, with small cam in a horizontal crack on the right for protection. This way I felt had a 5.8 move.

It's a good climb. Nov 15, 2014

[Hide Comment] Toproped this yesterday because we didn't have big enough pro. The crack was super fun and easy. The traverse had one harder move.

I have to admit I'm perplexed by what is the "right" way to do the chimney. It seems like there would be three options: (1) the birth canal at the back, (2) walking up the slab to the right, (3) wedging your body in the 6" front of the crack and using OW technique. I squirmed back to the birth canal, and it looked extremely narrow, even for a relatively small and skinny guy like me. Didn't want to try it and get stuck like Winnie the Pooh in Rabbit's burrow, plus if you were leading it, it seems like it could be incredibly awkward trying to place pro. I wasn't even sure my helmet would fit. OW technique at the front would work, I guess, but I didn't attempt it. My partner did the slab, didn't offer an opinion on its YDS grade. Nov 21, 2020

[Hide Comment] It was 5.3 in 1971 so just embrace it! Do the birth canal then do the OW. i'm 5'9 / 165lbs and the bottom of the birth canal was pretty tight! You don't really need gear for that part, if you need a rest just take a deep breath and hold it - you will be so wedged in you won't be able to move up or down ;) Mar 17, 2022

[Hide Comment] Yeah, we did this one not too long ago and were wondering what happened to you. :) in all seriousness though, this is a really great route at the grade. Kind of a fischer price my first wide crack kind of route. May 27, 2022

[Hide Comment] I set up a TR anchor on the Nutcracker for my daughter and I, after leading "False Layback" because I didn't have the large cams required (a couple of BD #6's or even bigger) for the chimney. If setting up to TR and belaying from the ground, I recommend extending the anchor to drape below the lower chockstone, a good 10 ft from the gear placements for the anchor; otherwise, the rope really wants to get stuck in the corners of chockstone. (We know from experience and had to scramble up the walk-off to get the rope unstuck.) If you stay true to the lead line below the chimney, while most of it is easy, there are a few moves that feel harder than 5.4. The chimney is a bit of a doozie no matter what way you do it. I stayed on the outside corners of the chimney the first time I did it and then did another lap on the chimney with more of my body inside it. Both ways felt more challenging than 5.4. Be mentally prepared for an awkward, TIGHT, and RUN OUT chimney if leading this one. Too big for gear, but just BARELY big enough for a skinny body. I felt the crux of this route was harder than "Barely Crankin,'" a 5.5 at Ryan CG: mountainproject.com/route/1… and the chimney was much harder than "Dutch Doll Gutter," a 5.4 at Ryan CG: mountainproject.com/route/1… Jul 7, 2023

[Hide Comment] Loved this route! Thought it would be rated 5.7 in Yosemite haha. Chimney/offwidth at the top isn’t awkward, its’s a great intro wide crack with plenty of extra features on both sides you can use. Hardest part to me felt like the steep top of the initial crack and the hand traverse under the roof to get into the wide crack. Jan 10, 2024

[Hide Comment] Bump a #6 to lead the OW.
Chimney has 2 roughly hand-sized cracks running along the entire length, so there's plenty of spots to place gear. I can't imagine you'd be able to clip given how tight it is, maybe once it widens up. The cracks are mostly 2" and 3", but vary in size.
For reference I'm 5'9", 180lbs. Mar 5, 2025