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Starstruck

5.8, Trad, 220 ft (67 m), 3 pitches,  Avg: 2.8 from 100 votes
FA: JS, Janie Saviers-Steiger, Sept. 2008
Utah > Wasatch Range > Central Wasatch > Big Cottonwood… > Strone Crag

Description

Starstruck climbs a line just below the right shoulder of the northwest face of Strone Crag, taking in some beautiful formations and providing good position high above Big Cottonwood Creek.  The belay ledges are good and are rigged for bailing if necessary, and the descent can be made with one long rappel (see below), making this a good intro to multi-pitch climbing.  Stays in the sun in the spring and fall long after the rest of the crags in the lower canyon have been swallowed by darkness. 

 The first pitch begins by climbing a short, clean slab on the right end of the ledge system cutting across the base of Strone Crag's northwest face (see Location). A cam in a horizontal pod and micronuts in a seam protect the slab adequately (there are good slots; look around). Continue up the crack system above the slab to a ledge and take a short, sweet left-facing corner to another ledge. Walk left to a bolted belay. (90 feet).

Pitch two starts by stepping left from the top bolt onto the face. Climb thin cracks into a hanging dihedral. Continue up the dihedral to another ledge and belay from gear in a thin crack or chain anchors a few feet further left. (80 feet).

The last pitch works up the thin crack and over a small roof. Once over the roof, move left around the buttress and face climb to the top and bolt anchors. (50 feet). The last two pitches can be combined with a liberal use of runners.

Location

Starstruck is on the northwest face of Strone Crag, maybe 200 feet right of the pine tree at the base of Le Rap et Tap and Wealth of Nations, above the unappetizing dark shale bands that prevent direct access to the northwest face. The best approach to reach the route, as well as all the other routes on the north face of Strone, is from Challenge Buttress. From the road, walk the well-trod Challenge Buttress trail to where it splits, then take the path to the right (the trail left goes to Challenge's east face). After 40 or so feet, the trail splits again; stay to the right (going left leads to Challenge's north and west faces). Continue along this trail for maybe 200 feet to the far right (west) side of a scree and boulder gully, then switch back up through the pine trees right of the gully. The trail heads back into the gully after a short distance, but it is very easy to follow to the right-end of the ledge system from which all of Strone's routes begin. The start to the ledge system is usually cairned.

Starstruck begins just as you gain the ledge system, on a clean slab reached by a walking a short ledge to the right. Another clue to the start of the route is that the slab is about 15 feet right (west) of the right-facing corner marking the start of Minotaur.

Descent: There are at least three options to get down: (1) Using two 60 meter ropes, you can make one long rappel to the ground. (2) If you have only one 60 meter rope, make two rappels stopping at a two-bolt hanging stance halfway down; bring a sling and quicklink to leave in case the slings that are usually there need replacing or have been stripped. About 25 feet lower and 10 feet to the right of the hanging stance there is a set of chains, but you probably need a 70 meter rope to reach them. (3) If you have a single 50 meter rope (or a 60 meter rope and you don't want to use the hanging stance), make three rappels, first stopping at the chains atop the second pitch of Starstruck, then the aforementioned chains down and right of the hanging stance.

Protection

Standard trad rack supplemented by a set of micronuts (for the first pitch's opening slab). There are two sets of anchors on top. The higher set makes pulling the rope easier.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

The northwest face of Strone Crag.  Starstuck is marked in red.  The other routes are the original lines of Cost of Business and and Old Habits Die Hard, but see those pages for the now-recommended lines.
[Hide Photo] The northwest face of Strone Crag. Starstuck is marked in red. The other routes are the original lines of Cost of Business and and Old Habits Die Hard, but see those pages for the now-recommended…
Janie on the first pitch during the FA.
[Hide Photo] Janie on the first pitch during the FA.
view from above
[Hide Photo] view from above
The start of Starstruck.
[Hide Photo] The start of Starstruck.
Pitch 3
[Hide Photo] Pitch 3
Pitch 2
[Hide Photo] Pitch 2
The second rappel anchors as of 7-14-13. located a bit east of this route.
[Hide Photo] The second rappel anchors as of 7-14-13. located a bit east of this route.
To the top.
[Hide Photo] To the top.
Second pitch.
[Hide Photo] Second pitch.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Shaun Greene
www.UtahShaun.com
  5.8
[Hide Comment] Excellent route up great rock. Fun moves and cleaning up nicely. Bring those micro cams for the beginning of the second pitch...Dont be dissuaded by the rotten looking begining of this climb. Jun 23, 2009
Andrew Gram
Salt Lake City, UT
  5.8
[Hide Comment] Really nice route - great job finding this. Much better than Wealth of Nations on the same crag. The hanging belay to rap with one rope is not a big deal and way less hassle than bringing a second rope. Jul 10, 2011
BackAtItAgain
  5.8
[Hide Comment] This should be included in everyone's BCC moderate list. Great climb in an uncrowded locale. 1 60 m rope works fine for getting off. The slings at the middle rappel station could be replaced, the bolts are good. Second pitch is money! Aug 4, 2012
rking101 King
Evanston, WY
  5.8
[Hide Comment] Good climb. Wimped out on leading 2nd pitch but did 3rd just started trad tho.. I didnt see any anchors at the top of pitch 3 looked all over so we seen some old webbing on the left there is a trail to the right down a chokestone gullly. Took the scramble down to the big pine and Rapped down to shelf and walk to Rapplers left and you should see pitch 1 anchors then rap again.

Fun climb 2nd pitch makes the climb Aug 28, 2012
John Steiger
  5.8
[Hide Comment] Hey rking, glad you liked the route. Another set of anchors have been added on top of the third pitch; super obvious. Aug 28, 2012
rking101 King
Evanston, WY
  5.8
[Hide Comment] Good to know for next time. From the looks of the webbing up top and the scramble down the little gully we werent the only ones. Thanks for info on anchors will find them next time.
Great climb once again Aug 29, 2012
Erik R Johnson
Tacoma, WA
[Hide Comment] The route was OK. It can definitely be done in 2 pitches. We had difficulty finding the anchors at the top as well, but they are there. Just look for the bolt line of "Mad Calf Disease" to the left as you are topping out. The anchors are on a little shelf above the last bolt of Mad Calf Disease. The 2 raps to the ground were easy peasy (Oh, and the second pitch of Mad Calf Disease is outstanding). Jun 17, 2013
thehackattacks
Park City, UT
[Hide Comment] I made a mistake on this one! On the slab at the beginning of the second pitch I didn't traverse left enough at the right time to reach the hanging dihedral. I wound up above and right of it facing a very risky, thin downward move that could have easily resulted in a 25-30 ft lead fall. So I took the higher road and sadly climbed right up broken, easier terrain all the way to the top of the formation- then my wife and I did a rugged walk-off down the back. BUT IT WAS STILL FUN AND WHAT WE DID DO WAS A GREAT ROUTE!!! Hoping to get back before the end of the season to do it proper. Oct 29, 2013
Garret Nuzzo Jones
Salt Lake City, UT
 
[Hide Comment] Just a couple 5.8 moves to keep you on your toes. Good quality climbing though throughout. Climb protects pretty well. Has a bit of choss here and there, but it's all solid in the right places. Third pitch seemed really runout above the short crux you crank through to get on the arete. Easy climbing, fortunately.

Rap bolts on the top of the third pitch were placed in a heinous location for belaying someone up. Makes for a nice pull while you're hanging off the cord down below though. May 1, 2014
Thumer
SLC, UT
 
[Hide Comment] Super fun second pitch. I really liked the whole thing. A standard set of bd nuts down to #4 was enough small gear for the first pitch. Oct 14, 2016
Meech
Salt Lake City, UT
 
[Hide Comment] Made the same mistake as thehackattacks, but decided to downclimb instead. Definitely got the adrenaline pumping... Wish I'd read his comment first! Go left early.

Thought this route was fun, interesting climbing for the grade! It was my first time ever placing small gear. Great first route to do that on. Agree that the third pitch (we linked 2&3) felt a little runout. There's bolts to the left for another route if you feel the need, otherwise its easy climbing. Sep 26, 2018
[Hide Comment] Sweet route! We started on minotaur. Definitely want to go left early on the slab starting off the 2nd pitch, although it's not a really obvious line. May 14, 2020
Nat Shultz
Cottonwood Heights
[Hide Comment] The 1st pitch slab is just a move or two and protects sufficiently with medium size Peanuts or small regular nuts. Starting the second pitch: step immediately left around the corner from the belay. You can plug in a few micro cams in the small splitter crack above you. Then work about 4-5ft to the left to another crack and head up until you reach the right facing corner/roof system. It is straightforward from here. Really fun route. Oct 4, 2021