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Thai Stick

5.10d, Sport, 30 ft (9 m),  Avg: 2.4 from 103 votes
FA: Robert McGown-1979
Oregon > Portland & The… > Broughton Bluff > (3) Red Wall

Description

Uber slick rock, cryptic sequence, reachy moves, over in a about thirty seconds...all these things would describe Thai Stick perfectly. Super popular route just right of Classic Crack, mostly because it is the only bolted route on the bottom half of the Red Wall's popular left side. Ascend via polished sidepulls and stemming until reaching the first ledge at twenty feet, at which point the climbing becomes 5.8. This route is very difficult to figure out on the onsight attempt, due to a surplus of unnecessary holds and very low friction to help you pop off. Once wired, it feels rather easy for the grade due to its brevity, particularly if you are tall. Makes for a logical, direct start to the route Critical Mass above it.

Location

Immediately right of Classic Crack at the Red Wall.

Protection

2 bolts, and chain anchors. The first bolt is pretty high and it would be advisable to stick clip due to a bad landing.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Thai Stick and neighboring routes: orange - Thai Stick; yellow - Classic Crack; green - Red Eye (P1); aqua - linkup of Thai Stick and Red Eye (P1)
[Hide Photo] Thai Stick and neighboring routes: orange - Thai Stick; yellow - Classic Crack; green - Red Eye (P1); aqua - linkup of Thai Stick and Red Eye (P1)
Rehanah on Thai Stick.  Photo courtesy of Chris K.
[Hide Photo] Rehanah on Thai Stick. Photo courtesy of Chris K.
Tim Slater working on Thai Stick.
[Hide Photo] Tim Slater working on Thai Stick.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Joey Bacon
Boise, ID
[Hide Comment] Bring a small cam if you want to protect the 5.8 climbing to the anchors. Decking potential is high. Jul 25, 2019
J P
Portland, OR
 
[Hide Comment] Thought I'd never come back to this one, but did so and enjoyed it more than expected. Definitely conditions-dependent for me; some days those polished feet are glassier than others.

But like my buddy Ari said, there's an eyebrow-raising difference in overall strenuousness between this and Classic Crack - TS may have a .10d move in there somewhere, but CC got me grunting a lot more. Jul 24, 2022