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The Village Idiot

5.11, Trad, Sport, 115 ft (35 m),  Avg: 2.8 from 8 votes
FA: Mike Schneiter
Colorado > Carbondale Area > Narrows > Narrows Proper

Description

The Village Idiot is a great long route with outstanding rock and a diversity of moves. The route features two distinct and different cruxes.

Begin the route behind the tree, starting in some dirtier, broken rock to gain access to the sweet plaque of granite above where a couple of excellent splitters cut the face.

At the top of this face, traverse right to the first crux, a section of face climbing protected by four bolts. This first crux features powerful moves and steep climbing and takes you to the base of the prominent, left-facing dihedral.

Once in the dihedral, plug some gear and clip a fixed pin before coming to the second crux. There is now a lower anchor before the second crux for those who don't care to climb around the sharp arete.

The second crux features awkward, technical movement to ascend the dihedral before traversing right, out of the dihedral, around the arete and on to the face above. A couple of bolts in the dihedral protect the crux, while a couple of bolts on the face finish it off.

Enjoy, I think it's one of the best routes at the Narrows.

Location

This is the second route on your left when you enter the Notch. It starts behind the tall tree in the Notch just left of the start of The Cement Garden.

Protection

Eight bolts, one fixed pin, and a selection of cams from tiny to gold Camalot. A 70-meter rope is required to descend, and it's a rope stretcher so tie a knot in the end of your rope!

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

[Hide Comment] Doesn't quite justify the rave it receives in the 2008 Rifle guide, primarily due to a loose jug near the start of the lower crux. The upper half is pretty good and will improve with traffic and buffing.

I recommend puting a full length runner on the bolt to the right of the arete in order to keep the rope from running over the fairly sharp edge. Jul 8, 2008
Michael Schneiter
Glenwood Springs, CO
  5.11
[Hide Comment] While it may be loose, an endless amount of prying, wiggling, hammering and cajoling couldn't get that jug to go anywhere. Hopefully one loose hold on a 115 foot climb doesn't wreck the whole thing. Jul 8, 2008
Steven Lucarelli
Grand Junction, CO
  5.11-
[Hide Comment] This is a fun route with some good movement, but 11+? I think 11- is more like it. It's a little intimidating on lead for the first time, but every time I got to a section that looked like it was going to be tough I just found more good holds or stemming. Clipping the sixth bolt seemed like the hardest part to me, since it's a blind clip around the arete. Maybe I went right out of the corner too soon, but if so, then the top of this route is very contrived. Jun 24, 2010
BJ Sbarra
Carbondale, CO
  5.11
[Hide Comment] Maybe some new holds showed up. This is the Narrows, after all, the climbs do change from year to year with the freeze-thaw process. ;-)

Also, the anchor has been lowered for those who are uncomfortable with their rope running over the super sharp arete while climbing the top of the route. Jun 24, 2010
Michael Schneiter
Glenwood Springs, CO
  5.11
[Hide Comment] I agree, this route probably doesn't deserve the 11+ rating. As is apt on new routes, they clean up, get some chalk on the holds and easier sequences are figured out; hence, the rating tends to settle out, in this case more in the 11 or 11- range (I'll change the rating, because I don't care to squabble over ratings, and it seems like a community consensus is best anyway). Originally I climbed higher up the corner before reaching around the arete, which is harder (or more awkward at least) than the preferred exit out of the corner down lower, which is much easier, in my opinion. I hope it's not too contrived but just a case of figuring out a better way of climbing something, even if it takes a couple years to do so.

As BJ mentioned, there is now a lower anchor so if you don't feel comfortable leading around the sharp arete you can clip the lower anchor and call it good. Jul 17, 2010
j mo
n az
[Hide Comment] I realized too late (as wife pulled rope) I think you can TR this line after leading Jenga Buttress Crack, if you like me weren't feeling sparky enough to lead it. Just a thought, 'cause, man, did this line look good! Jul 28, 2013
Alex Garhart
  5.11
[Hide Comment] After climbing this again, I have to say this is my favorite route in the Narrows proper. It offers steep climbing with a variety show of movement: jamming, stemming, laybacking, knee-bar, compression, etc. Pretty darn good. Jun 7, 2014