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Mom's Pancake

5.5, Sport,  Avg: 2.1 from 223 votes
FA: Jim Shimberg
New Hampshire > Rumney > Meadows > Center Section
Warning Access Issue: Note: New route moratorium area DetailsDrop down

Description

Just left of Hippos on Parade (5.9). A pretty good route, yet not a classic. Another route to test your beginnerish skills on without having to suffer any hiking.

Climb the beginning slab directly or stem in the corner to the right. Repeat this all the way to the top pretty much. You either climb the face or stem the corner past bolts and pins to the quick clips up and to the right.

A good rest in the corner at the halfway mark can suck in a nervous newbie and they might have a hard time stepping back out on to the route.

Location

Just of the corner to the left of Lies and Propaganda (5.9)

Protection

6 bolts to quick clips...

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

First time outdoors on a beautiful Rumney day with great people.
[Hide Photo] First time outdoors on a beautiful Rumney day with great people.
Smiling at the camera
[Hide Photo] Smiling at the camera
blending in real good... at the top of Mom's Pancake
[Hide Photo] blending in real good... at the top of Mom's Pancake

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Ladd Raine
Plymouth, NH
[Hide Comment] I think this one is Attack of Life, am I correct on that one, or is this just to the left of that? Dec 5, 2007
Lee Hansche
Allenstown, NH... and a van…
  5.5
[Hide Comment] Attack of Life was the trad line to the left of Lies and Propaganda...
by the book it looks like a variation to Lies...
When i did Attack of Life i think i missed it cause i did a pure trad line (with one pin) that followed what is now Hippos on Parade... it was R rated and scary but super fun, im glad they bolted it...

This unknown line was very dirty when the last guide came out... Dec 5, 2007
Ladd Raine
Plymouth, NH
[Hide Comment] Thanks for the clarification. Dec 5, 2007
Lee Hansche
Allenstown, NH... and a van…
  5.5
[Hide Comment] thats really just my understanding of it, but no prob... Dec 5, 2007
MattWallace
Center Harbor, NH
  5.5
[Hide Comment] I have always understood this to be Attack of Life as well but there does seem to be some fog about this route. I thought it was a decent route although really dirty. Dec 24, 2008
[Hide Comment] Geez, you guys have me getting my old guide book out and checking my notes. Haven't doing much sport since I turned to the trad side.

Shim retro-bolted Attack of Life and called it Hippos on Parade (5.9, G IMHO) several years ago. Whatever the name it is a sweet line. Need to remember to ask him why that name. I know there is a climb at Skytop at the Gunks with that name, don't know if it is related.

He also cleaned more recently, a big effort, thanks Jim; and bolted the climb to left of Hippos on Parade, check with Jim for the name. I think he rated it as 5.5 as do I, but ymmv. Last I looked in August, it looked pretty clean.

If memory serves me correctly the old Attack of Life had you making the potential ankle-breaking moves above the anchor now in place to get to the L&P anchors. Definitely PG13!! Jan 5, 2009
MattWallace
Center Harbor, NH
  5.5
[Hide Comment] Losbill, yeah that makes sense... Jan 5, 2009
Tim Waystrong
New Hampshire
  5.5
[Hide Comment] I say skip the bolt that is stuffed in the crack like 20 feet up or so. I think it's the second or third bolt. Not dangerous but it is a waste of time.

Fun climb none the less. Mar 13, 2009
MattWallace
Center Harbor, NH
  5.5
[Hide Comment] I talked to Jim Shimberg today, he told me tht this route is called Moms Pancake and he is the FA... it took me a while to get him to admit the FA... very modest Mar 20, 2009
joneus
Salem, CT
  5.3
[Hide Comment] Fun & a whole lot easier than I thought it should have been for its grade! Tried it in the rain, "since we were in the neighborhood." The top 1/3rd was a bit dicey due to wet moss. Also, there are some hand holds/flakes that are loose about 3/4 of the way up. They can be used for temporary balance, but I wouldnt pull them! Aug 24, 2009
[Hide Comment] It has steep technical moves for the grade. Weird sideways bong placement. Sustained moves at times during the climb. Steep is intimidating. Steep is a good intro to what it feels like climbing up to a bolt placement here. Grade of 5.4 in the newest guide book. It's an easy climb that has surprisingly good work outs during it. Apr 2, 2010
sunder
Alsip, Il
  5.6 PG13
[Hide Comment] Just lead it this last week.

I back up the first pin in the first horizantal crack with a #2 camalot next to the pin.

The middle horizantal crack i did not protect

The top crack i protected with a #1 Camalot

Watch the top right rocks there kinda sharp right below the anchors. Aug 16, 2010
Brendan Blanchard
Boulder, CO
  5.6
[Hide Comment] There is now a fixed bong in the large crack between the second and third bolts, and another a bit to the left in the next crack/overhang. Thanks to whoever put them up, its pretty run out without atleast the first one.

Fun route, grade varies with the holds you decide to use, I think using the corner helps quite a bit. Jun 1, 2011
Ryan Barber
Rumney, NH
[Hide Comment] I'm sorry to say, the bongs were incorrectly placed. Though they are wedged in there pretty well and will certainly hold body weight, their orientation should follow the same principle as an angle piton.

From Mountaineering, Freedom of the Hills, 5th ed
Jul 31, 2011
E thatcher
Plymouth/ North Conway (NH)
[Hide Comment] If they were put there by Shim (the First Ascentionist) then I would trust his judgment, and not worry about it. Aug 1, 2011
Matt Wilson
Vermont, USA
  5.5
[Hide Comment] A heads up if you are a beginner leader... this route will feel very run out and extremely sketchy if this climb is near your max. Mar 12, 2012
Mike V.
Logan, UT
[Hide Comment] Climbed on 8/29/12. I first climbed the route 1-2 years ago and there was a piton (bong) in the 2nd large crack. When we climbed it this time, the 2nd one was either missing, or I wasn't able to see it. If you're not comfortable at the grade, it will feel very run out. Aug 29, 2012
dragons
New Paltz, NY
  5.5
[Hide Comment] There used to be a bong in one of the horizontal cracks but I didn't see it today (didn't see any fixed pro at all, though Ward Smith's Rumney guide lists it as having two such pieces) . It does make the route feel a little runout without it.
[Edit: Aug 30 2017 - Felt fine this time, experience helps!] Aug 11, 2014
Tim Waystrong
New Hampshire
  5.5
[Hide Comment] The bongs are gone on this route now and a few new glue in bolts have been put in. It's feeling now. Fun easy good climbing Sep 15, 2014
Evan Regan
New Bedford, MA
  5.6
[Hide Comment] There are currently 6 bolts, not a pin to be found. Jul 9, 2015