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Soft Job

5.12d, Sport, 40 ft (12 m),  Avg: 2.3 from 18 votes
FA: bill bentley 1993
New Hampshire > Rumney > Prudential

Description

This is the route in the middle of the right side of the cliff that follows the shallow right leaning corner to a set of quick clips at the halfway ledge. Soft Job ends here and there is another route that continues.

Start on a huge jug just left of the start of Machine Head (5.11c/d). You won't get many more of these big holds so enjoy it. Make a long move off of a nice undercling to a good crimp. Let the games begin. Ultra technical moves on small crimps and invisible feet get you up the steep face using tiny sidepulls and gastons, and some fancy footwork. Then make a move left to a good rest at the halfway point. From here pull the roof using a really cool rung hold and get up on a really awkward ledge for a rest. The final section heads up a shallow groove and isn't bad after you figure out the feet and where the holds are.

The bottom and top are harder for shorties and the ledge rest is wicked awkward for tall people (serves us right I suppose).

Location

Just left of Machine Head. Look for the thin face just right of a right leaning corner.

Protection

5 bolts to quick clips.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Anabel doing something...  Maybe it helped...
[Hide Photo] Anabel doing something... Maybe it helped...
Anabel mid crux on Soft Job 5.12d
[Hide Photo] Anabel mid crux on Soft Job 5.12d
Lily on the nice rest above the hard start...
[Hide Photo] Lily on the nice rest above the hard start...
lily finishing it up...
[Hide Photo] lily finishing it up...
jon baldy belaying...
[Hide Photo] jon baldy belaying...

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Lee Hansche
Allenstown, NH... and a van…
  5.12d
[Hide Comment] ive been watching Lily on this thing lately and ive been on it once or twice... knowing the way we climb and how hard this is i'd have to say this route seems more like 5.13a... thoughts anyone?

PS. my theory is that this soft section of rock has worn down making ok feet in to desperate feet and there by upgrading the route... Apr 11, 2011
M Sprague
New England
[Hide Comment] I think it has always been a desperate sandbag. Supposedly there is a trick to it, but I never figured out what it is. Even when I was climbing my hardest, where it should not have been a problem, I couldn't even do all the moves, never mind link it. I have only been on it a few times, but I wouldn't argue with 13 for a grade, or maybe a really reachy and fingery 12d Apr 11, 2011
[Hide Comment] I, too, have heard there is a trick to it. Even back when I was strong and flexible, I could literally not get off the ground on this one.
Why this climb? Restless Native (hard corner) or Great White (desparate crimping) or ... might be more rewarding. Just saying..... Apr 11, 2011
Lee Hansche
Allenstown, NH... and a van…
  5.12d
[Hide Comment] good info guys...
im not set on doing this climb in any way... i just wondered if anyone else thought it was a sandbag... i have however done most of the classic 5.12s around rumney and im not going to avoid a route cause it doesn't get many stars... ive seldom met a rock climb i didnt like, soft job is cool, just stupid hard for 12c... also as the season has started up im already sick of the crowds so ill be on the obscure routes in the back country when ever i can be... Apr 11, 2011
Lee Hansche
Allenstown, NH... and a van…
  5.12d
[Hide Comment] after talking to a few others and getting on the route again i decided to change the grade to 5.12d here on the proj so people know what they are getting in to... and its harder if you are short... i feel like its just a tad easier than bottom feeder (5.13a) but harder than get it on 5.12c/d which is similarly crimpy... that's my story... Apr 24, 2011
Lee Hansche
Allenstown, NH... and a van…
  5.12d
[Hide Comment] lily and i both ended up sending but man this thing is a tough bouldery route... fun though... once you figure it out its all there but you will doubt it when you first pull on to it... May 2, 2011
M Sprague
New England
[Hide Comment] Nice sends, both of you! Now we need you to make a movie of Lily doing it so we can get the beta. May 3, 2011
Lee Hansche
Allenstown, NH... and a van…
  5.12d
[Hide Comment] thanks! i was thinking the same thing mark... flexibility and hip strength are key :) May 3, 2011
Ward Smith
Wendell MA
[Hide Comment] Sorry Guys, about 12 years ago I went climbing with my regular partner at the time Justin Hayes; we met this rasta looking guy in the parking lot.

We all went up to Prudential, and Brady and the bunch were all up there putting up new routes. I decide to get on Soft Job, and Brady starts spraying me down with beta, I don't always like beta but it was like he was tapped into my brain and I totally hiked it. Then Justin gets on next, and he flashes it also with little apparent effort. Then this rasta dude whom I've never met hikes it next ..I mean HIKES....so I'm thinking no way is this 13a or even 12d.

Of course the Rasta dude is Pete Kamistes who is a damned good climber, as is Justin, so I'm happy to call it 12 d in the new guide. If so it is my only 12 d flash.

Ward Aug 1, 2013
Lee Hansche
Allenstown, NH... and a van…
  5.12d
[Hide Comment] haha nice job Ward! sounds like a fun day for everyone :) Aug 1, 2013
[Hide Comment] FWIW Stevie Damboise flashed (or maybe even onsighted...can't remember if he went first or if I dogged it out first) the second ascent a day or two after Billy did it. Aug 2, 2013
M Sprague
New England
[Hide Comment] Well, it has got to be easy if all those guys did it... Aug 2, 2013
Jeffrey LeCours
New Hampshire
[Hide Comment] I think people didn't realize that they were climbing so hard back then - this thing is stupid hard. :) I punted before making it to the halfway rest. This route seems like something I'd do well on so it's been haunting my dreams for the past 48 hours. Guess I need to get back and just send it, right?

(p.s. I'd love to hear about any "tricks", heh) Mar 12, 2015
[Hide Comment] So on Tuesday (Oct 20, 2015) my fat ass ripped off a big horn right before the big ledge. After reading the description it seems like I may have been a little left of the "top-out" so I'm not sure that it affects the difficulty. The hold was very chalked but that doesn't really mean anything... I ended up being a little rattled after my fall and cleaned the route via machine head.

Many of the routes on the right end of the wall have sandstone-esque rock (is it actually sandstone??). I'm wondering if it also has the post-rain friability of sandstone since we were climbing here after a rain shower the night before. My parter ended up also breaking a little hold on machine head and he weighs a lot less than me. Oct 22, 2015
Alex CV
Greater NYC area
 
[Hide Comment] I think this is one of those routes that either works for you or it doesn't. I got this second go years ago, when it was rated .12d, so pretty much my max at the time. The guys who I was climbing with (who did and still climb significantly harder than I do) couldn't do it at all.

- Alex Jun 5, 2016