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Middle Band

5.10+, Trad, 165 ft (50 m), 2 pitches,  Avg: 1.5 from 2 votes
FA: John Wolfe, 1969, FFA: Bill Antel and Kim Cooper, 1973
California > Joshua Tree NP > Hidden Valley Area > Hidden Valley C… > Old Woman > Old Woman - W Face
Warning Access Issue: Climbing Regulations/Seasonal Raptor Closures DetailsDrop down

Description

Climb up a crack/ramp 10 feet to the base of the left facing corner. Climb 5 feet with no pro to reach the bolt -there are no hand holds and loose, grainy, rock for the feet. Scary! Stick clip? Bust moves up into horizontal, place hand sized gear, get scared and pumped, hand traverse left to place a old #4 camalot for protecting crux. Tell your belayer to put on goggles, then heal-hook and hand traverse the pumpy, flat, edge with kitty litter for feet. This was very hard! I failed on lead and when I top-roped this section from sexy grandma anchor. NO feet, they keep falling off. Makes a nice rain sound though. Continue traversing on much easier ground to the top of Dogleg. I did it in one pitch but had henious ropedrag. The follower would probably like the tighter belay possible with an intermediate anchor. I thought this climb looked cool. It does, but I would not recommend it, except for a good laugh. Covers a lot of ground on the old woman though.

Location

Between Sexy Grandma and the Orphan. Starts in a left facing corner with a good bolt 15-20 feet up. Decent same as Dogleg.

Protection

#4 camalot for the crux and standard rack for the rest. Goggles for the belayer. Stick clip?