Lovin' Arms
5.10b/c A0,
Trad, Aid, 3 pitches,
Avg: 3.6 from 197
votes
FA: Don Brooks, 1980
Washington
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> (f) Central Wall Area
Description
This route continues directly upward from the third pitch of Davis-Holland, and the linkup of these two is considered a classic.
P1: 5.10b - From the anchor, tenuous face holds and side-pulling in shallow cracks brings you to an excellent hand crack. Follow the hand crack up into a mossy chimney that presents many options. A two-bolt anchor lies on the left side of the chimney on top of a small ledge.
P2: 5.10a, 5.10c A0, or 5.11c, depending on how you go - The original route, with a single bolt for aid if you traverse right from the anchors. Pulling on a sling brings you to a crack system; these moves go free at 5.11c.
The more common way is to continue up the chimney for about 20 feet then follow a crack on a ramp that goes down and right to a shallow corner. Done this way the pitch is overall 5.10a.
Either way, from this point continue up a crack in a small corner until some large solid holds become available, then rightward and upward to a mantle onto a large ledge and the anchors.
P3: From the anchors climb up the quartz-like face, past one bolt, to some cracks that will take gear. Hand and footholds are numerous but many are downsloping. Continue directly upward to the anchors, or bail out leftward into the pine trees. This pitch probably deserves an R rating.
For descent, you may rappel the route with 2 60m ropes, use one of many rappel options to climber's left, or walk off easily. To find the trail, go leftward until you find the dirt road, follow it until you reach a steel and cable barricade, and go left. This trail links up with the UTW approach trail, about 3/4 of the way up.
Location
Starts slightly right of the top of Davis-Holland pitch 3. then slants back left. Two crack systems leave the ledge; LA takes the right one.
Protection
A set of nuts, a double rack of cams from finger-size to #2 C4, and a single #3 C4 were quite adequate.
![Jessica looking down the first pitch of lovin arms on a great autumn day.]()
[Hide Photo] Jessica looking down the first pitch of lovin arms on a great autumn day.
![The hand traverse from the chimney on p2 of Lovin Arms.]()
[Hide Photo] The hand traverse from the chimney on p2 of Lovin Arms.
![Looking up Lovin' Arms from the top of Davis Holland. Pitch 1 leaves the ledge on the right, goes up a tricky crack, and then up the chimney to a pair of bolts on the left wall of the chimney.]()
[Hide Photo] Looking up Lovin' Arms from the top of Davis Holland. Pitch 1 leaves the ledge on the right, goes up a tricky crack, and then up the chimney to a pair of bolts on the left wall of the chimney.
![Chimney on Pitch 1 of Lovin' Arms. It's better climbing than it looks like in the photo.]()
[Hide Photo] Chimney on Pitch 1 of Lovin' Arms. It's better climbing than it looks like in the photo.
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Tacoma, WA
P1 - The double cracks seemed harder than 10b.
P2 - We did the alternate 10c (15+ feet up then traverse right on a hand crack) rather than traverse over to the aid bolt. This seemed much easier than 10c and easier than the first pitch.
P3 - Random easier face/edge climbing, and is easily linked with P2.
If you only have a 60 meter rope, there is a decent way to rap off the upper town wall using both the Heaven's Gate and Golden Road Anchors:
-Walk climbers left over to the top of Heaven's Gate (The anchors are a little hard to find, but but it is the second bolt line from climbers left of the main chimney/corner; the anchors are down one ledge, past a small tree, then anchors are below this ledge/tree on another ledge at the edge of the wall).
-Rappel straight down 30 meters to next bolted anchors on Heaven's Gate (you will be at the ends of your rope).
-Rappel down 30 meters to the very ends of your rope and pull/walk yourself ~30' over to the anchors on Golden Road (the anchors are not very visible until you are near the ends of your rope, and you will be at the last 2-3 feet of your rope to reach the anchors; there is little to no rope abrasion when pulling/walking yourself over if you position your rope properly).
-Rappel to next anchors on Golden Road.
-Rappel <30 meters to a ledge 15 feet off the ground (ropes will be out of sight down an overhang).
-Scramble down off of the ledge after pulling your rope.
Be aware! These are full length rappels on a 60 meter, so if you are unsure of your rope length, walk off instead (or bring a 70 meter or double ropes). Aug 24, 2009
PDX, OR
Also a 70 meter rope does not reach all the way down to the first pitch. You will come up about 10 feet short. My partner found this out the hard way. Aug 30, 2009
New Haven, CT
With two 60M ropes, you can rap all the way from the top of the route to the top of Davis-Holland in one rappel. You'll have about 6 feet of extra rope at the end. Jul 30, 2011
Redmond, WA
All three pitches are a blast. The jamming on the first pitch is fantastic -- nice fingerlocks and hand jams. Aug 24, 2012
Taking a suggestion from the Davis Holland comments, we brought 4 green .75 Camalots, and were able to place most or all of them on almost all 6 pitches of DH/LA. I thought the first 20 feet of P1 was the crux of LA. There were some scary blocks directly above the belay in the chimney version of P2. P3 was Type I Fun; I trended L near the top and found plenty of good protection and no loose rock.
We were happy to walk off L on a very nice trail system marred by a short section of illegal Jeep track. When in doubt, stay L on the walk-off; other options lead you either back into Deliverance country or drop you too low on the UTW approach trail. Jul 29, 2013
Hailey, ID
70m rope works to rap the entire DHLA route. Perhaps these guys had a short 70m or rapped using different stations.
"The final pitch has enough loose rock to warrant a 5.9+ R rating."
We didn't find any loose rock on this pitch, nor a lack of gear. The gear may be small and technical, but no way this pitch warrants an R rating. Aug 15, 2016
Estes Park, CO
Wenatchee, WA
climbed DHLA thursday 5/9. the big blocks in the LA P2 chimney ring but do not move. some dirt and loose chips throughout. climbs more more awkward than before. really no pro for this section since the crack on the right rings too.... someone needs to go up with a big bar and rip these things out... Its only a matter of time before someone in over their heads places pro in the chimney, falls, and kills themself and their partner as well as people on the ledge below.
having done this route a half dozen times or so, Im realizing that I agree with previous comments of star inflation. almost all of P2 is actually not solid. so many loose holds and detached sounding rock throughout the pitch, where, in many cases it is your only option for pro. P1 is O.K and P3 is fun but short. May 11, 2019
Boulder, CO
The chimney moves were a bit awkward and dirty but I don’t think they are dangerous at the moment as long as the leader doesn’t place protection behind certain blocks. Jun 18, 2019
Seattle, Wa
Nephi, UT
Weather perfect on 8/28 at 75C. Dry even with light rain the day before. Aug 28, 2021
Holtsville, NY
Seattle, WA
The last pitch has many gear options after the bolt - most of which are smaller / a little techy but reasonably solid.
I'm fairly certain the loose triangular block thing is a bit left of the actual line on this pitch, so unless you escape out left early you shouldn't encounter it. Jun 4, 2023
Beijing, CN
P1 is an awkward shallow crack to me is the crux pitch, solid 10b? The start is waaaay on right and a bit low of DHR p3, I ended up back clean first piece to avoid rope drag.
P2 we did the chimney variation, short and a small extra bonus, it is ice on a cake. After chimney don't go up left which looks "obviously easy". (learn it from a hard way), should go right and down a bit right after existing chimney using a hand jam. Even the "corner" does not seems climbable at all. But the fact is the rest is pretty much face climbing!
P3 is fun edging problems and very tricky placement. Don't feel it is runout as long as you patiently find the protection. To me the crus is right at top out.
And even better, after top out you get to have the option to top out and walk off, with decent trail and vista point, much faster, safer and more pleasant than rappel! Nov 19, 2023