Morning Glory

Update: as of August '09 there are 3 bolts protecting this climb, which felt just about right. Felt like 5.9+ on a humid day in the sun.

On a side note, has anyone climbed the left-facing corner with two crack systems that is about 20 feet left of this climb (like if you were to continue up the left slanting ramp at the start)? Oct 4, 2009

I think those cracks are High Me, 5.7 (5.9ish if you go direct up the slab), and 20 feet further left chimney 5.6. Both take big gear at the top like a BD #4 or Bigbro at the top of High Me. Great climbs. Nov 21, 2009

Feels more like hard 5.9 slab if you ask me. Mar 20, 2010

Welcome to northshore climbing, guy, the grades are all wicked fackin' sandbagged, guy. Oct 11, 2010

This is a great climb! But I agree with the last guy. The ratings are wicked sandbagged. Second mantle moving takes some pretty delicate moving to a nice slab TO. Nov 9, 2011

I've top-roped this a couple of times but haven't gone for the lead yet. It's definitely in the 5.9+ range, that's actually what the guidebook says, don't know why it got put in as 5.8+.

Zits, to the left is 5.8+. Nov 14, 2011

Do people normally take the left ledge after the second mantle or smear T/O? Dec 2, 2011

History lesson - this line was originally done by Henry Barber (the bottom two bolts were already there, though still not sure who placed them). The original line stays left of the middle bolt and exits as for Zits. This goes at (Cape Ann) 5.8+ (according to the old version of BR, the new one removes a bit of weight from the sandbag. Zits was originally a graded 5.7). The third bolt was added in the late '90s to protect the 5.10(+?) version of the line, which stays right of all the bolts, going up the slab. Feb 13, 2012

I would say that if you move left after the second mantle it is probably a solid 5.10. Harder if you go right from the mantle on the extremely slopey rumps.

Leading it makes for a huge fall potential when you do the third(?) mantle and clip the third bolt, per say, if you were shaking like a leaf and blew the third clip...you'd probably land no more than 15 feet off the ground.

BETA ALERT:
My sequence was this for anyone wondering what I'm grading...after the dike, move right through a sloper to the crimp rail. Make this absolutely terrifying mantle, stand up and clip the third bolt. Then exit back left using the sloping edges that end "Zits," then head straight up the slab after the ledge, directly to the anchor. Going right after mantling the rail would be harder 10 climbing. Mar 24, 2012

I don't enjoy slabs a whole lot - but I thought this was fun as well as one of the better routes I've done at Red Rocks so far. Apr 2, 2014

Best moderate slab/face climb at Red Rock. It helps to be tall. Moving directly up/right on the slab after clipping the third bolt to the mantel (10a?) feels like the most natural line. Also, going directly up to the anchor from the aforementioned mantel requires a cool head and some additional slabby moves. Aug 25, 2018