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Long Distance Commute

5.10a, Trad, TR, 60 ft (18 m),  Avg: 2.4 from 13 votes
FA: Josh Columb/ Joe Nixon
Minnesota > Tettegouche SP… > Palisade Head
Warning Access Issue: Temporary Peregrine Falcon access restrictions DetailsDrop down

Description

This route takes the left hand of two cracks in the corner to the left of Iron Maiden up to a ledge about 1/2 way up, than switch to the right hand crack. A short section of face climbing(crux), protected by a fixed pin in the face on the right, is followed by 10 more ft of a finger crack that splits the large block at the top. This is a surprising find at Palisade Head. An unclimbed moderate hand crack. I couldn't find it in any guide books, but wouldn't be surprised if someone did it a long time ago and just forgot about it. It basically just needed to be scrubbed clean of lichen. A fun moderate safe warm up.

Location

This route is on the south side of the route Iron Maiden (large awesome off with/squeeze chimney). An anchor is best set up on the large block on the south side of Iron Maiden. You can easily rapel to a large ledge about half way down the face. There is a fixed pin in the corner (don't know how old it is)but ample anchors abound (large block can be lassoed).

Protection

The whole route can be safely led on trad gear 2" and smaller, mostly thin Hands to fingers. There is a fixed pin near the top between this route and Iron Maiden that can be clipped for extra security right at the second little crux

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Erik Anderson entertained by David Kolcinski making his way through a section of rotten rock below that links Mabley's Traverse to Long Distance Commute, Photo Cred Joe Lee
[Hide Photo] Erik Anderson entertained by David Kolcinski making his way through a section of rotten rock below that links Mabley's Traverse to Long Distance Commute, Photo Cred Joe Lee
The loose bit connecting Mabley's Traverse to Long Distance Commute
[Hide Photo] The loose bit connecting Mabley's Traverse to Long Distance Commute
Lower portion of Long Distance Commute, a few feet climber's left of Iron Maiden
[Hide Photo] Lower portion of Long Distance Commute, a few feet climber's left of Iron Maiden
Mabley's Traverse to Long Distance Commute
[Hide Photo] Mabley's Traverse to Long Distance Commute

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

[Hide Comment] This route was seen and climbed by Guy Evans around 2004-5. We were top roping Iron Maiden and Guy noticed (as I recall) a fixed pin in the corner on rappel. He climbed it, I don't think he named it, I'll try to find out. The rating sounds about right. If you guys (Josh and Joe) are the ones who put the pin there, then my bad, and at my age you never know. Nov 25, 2009