[Hide Comment] The snap gate anchors have worn through. Someone left a locking carabiner for back up. I replaced the snap gate's today with mussy hooks. If anybody wants their locker back, let me know. Mar 12, 2009

[Hide Comment] About as good as River Rock gets. There's a nice little ledge to rest on before the crux fist/offwidth near the top.

Thanks for the new mussy hooks Rick. Jun 12, 2011

[Hide Comment] Thought this was a bit harder than the consensus indicates, if your hands are small prepare for some thrutching at the crux Nov 2, 2011

[Hide Comment] D e I'm with you there. I lead this onsight when I moved here and found both the fingery start highly thought provoking and the crux jams higher on the climb totally rattley. Felt harder than 10a to me at the time. Some of these things are hand size dependent but I've got to wonder if some of those calling this 9- might have toproped it into submission prior to leading it for the first time. Mar 29, 2012

[Hide Comment] My take? I think some of those rating it 5.9- may just be trying to get it down to 5.9 from 5.10a. The climb is nothing if not solid 5.9 for the area.

I find the rating on this one a "hard to say" proposition. I've done many laps on TR and on lead (on lead for the onsight) and it seems to have some full value sections, although I wouldn't put it at 5.10b or higher. A solid 5.9, or maybe an average 5.10a? I've rated it 5.10a here because I've seen many a 5.9 climber struggle on it.

The bottom crux is relatively full on and I prefer to just highball it without futzing for gear. The upper, wider crux is tricky for many, and I find those who have trouble with it think it's an off-width, whereas I feel like you should go for deeper hand jams in that section. Those with small hands may still find it more in the OW / wide cupped hands range.

That's my mini-essay anyway ;). I love this climb, so I've definitely thought about it.

Now, if you take Africa Flake to the right to be the 5.10a it has been rated, then you would rate Karl's a 5.8-. Apr 1, 2012

[Hide Comment] Personally, I find the start to be the crux. The upper part feels like 5.8-5.9 hands and fists to me. Different strokes, I guess, and it's not like I have gigantic hands. Pretty coarse up top, too, so tape is nice. Dec 26, 2013

[Hide Comment] For anyone doing research on this route in preparation for the lead: just go do it. It takes gear well, and both cruxes are protected. I took my first fall on gear on this route a few years back and is definitely worth your time if you like cracks. Do it. Jan 27, 2016

[Hide Comment] Start was the crux for me. Thin, need to find good feet. Power your way through the wider stuff up top. Takes gear super well, my friend zipped this thing up with big finger to hands gear. Super fun and a hard crack for me, definitely lap this a few times to figure it out and gain some crack confidence! Jan 5, 2018

[Hide Comment] The start was way harder than I was expecting. Definitely the crux for me, but maybe I am missing something. The rest of the crack felt much easier in comparison. Felt like 5.8 maybe 5.9 for the rest of the route. Cruised up Improbable but this one gave me some issues. Apr 15, 2019

[Hide Comment] I thought this was a great route, good mix of thin and wide cruxes. I thought the beginning thin crux was trickier than the wide bulge (and I have XS hands), mostly because the feet are way more sparse and thin at the beginning. Have definitely climbed easier 10a cracks than this, but the grade seems reasonable enough for a proud 10- send! Sep 3, 2020

[Hide Comment] Super fun route. For me, the moves right off the deck were the crux. I thought it actually got easier the higher you climbed. I think 10a is appropriate, but the 10a moves are in the first 15 feet. It takes gear well, and if your jams are feeling rattley - reach deeper...they are back there. Feb 21, 2021

[Hide Comment] Agree with everyone here. The start is the crux. I am 6' 2" and I was able to stand on the little ledge at the bottom and get a piece in the first flared pod, then got a left foot in the base of the crack to get a second piece in the second flared pod. Then I downclimbed back down to the ground and sent the crux in one go without having to fiddle with gear. I found this very safe and made the climb much easier (feel like a 10a). The second crux (bulge crux) surprised me, but once you commit to moving up past it, the jams are great and I did not feel I needed to place any gear until I was passed it at a good stance (10-12ft). Definitely a STOUT lead for a new leader trying 10's. Proceed with caution. Apr 24, 2022