All Locations > Kentucky > Red River Gorge > Muir Valley > Midnight Surf

Tapeworm

Name: Tapeworm
Rating: 3.9

5.12d YDS 7c French 28 Ewbanks IX UIAA 28 ZA E6 6b British

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Routes in Midnight Surf

L › R R › L A › Z

	A Farewell to Arms S 5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c
	Babyface S 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
	Cell Block Six S 5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
	Crucible, The S 5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
	Iniquity S 5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
	Mellow Yellow S 5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
	Shiva S 5.13b 8a 29 IX+ 30 E7 6c
	Starfish and Coffee S 5.13a 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E6 6c
	Tapeworm S 5.12d 7c 28 IX 28 E6 6b
	Tree Hugger S 5.11d 7a 24 VIII 25 E5 6a
	Vortex S 5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b

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Type:	Sport, 80 ft (24 m)
GPS:	37.73199, -83.64195
FA:	Brad Weaver
Page Views:	5,401 total · 26/month
Shared By:	Monomaniac on Nov 16, 2009
Admins:	Shirtless Mike, DrRockso RRG, Luke Cornejo, Billy Simek Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: Muir Valley is Privately Owned Details

Officially known as Muir Valley Climbing Area and a Nature Preserve, Muir is owned and managed by the Friends of Muir Valley non-profit organization.

In order to keep the valley operating a $15 fee is charged per car for parking to cover upkeep.

Some important rules must be followed to ensure future access and enjoyment by all. A complete list can be found at muirvalley.org/tabs/#pills-1 , but the most important are listed below:

All climbers must fill out a legal release form before climbing. muirvalley.org/waiver/ ;
The parking lot described in the directions below is the only permitted parking. Do not park on private drives.
No dogs are allowed in Muir Valley (nor left in your car in the parking lot.)
No hammocks are allowed to be hung/used in Muir Valley.

Description

Tapeworm is the other "must-do" route at Midnight Surf, along with Cell Block Six, & Iniquity. However, Tapeworm (mostly*) lacks the no-hands rests that ruin the continuity of its neighbors. The climbing is more of the same: huge moves between horizontal breaks, culminating in a big pump and a heart-breaking boulder problem just below the chains.

Begin up the fragile, left-facing flake. Easier moves lead between horizontal bands. Around the 3rd bolt, a difficult crimp move gains a good jug, and more long reaches. Rest at a big horn just above the 4th bolt. The first crux follows, a big dyno or thin cranking to reach the big horizontal pod below the 6th bolt. There's a blury picture of guidebook author Ray Ellington doing this move on the 2nd or 3rd page of the latest guidebook.

Pumpy moves lead up to one last rest before the redpoint crux: a difficult, boulder problem on rounded crimps, 5 feet below the anchor.

(*If you really want to turn a 4 star 12d into a 3 star 12c, there are apparently some no-hands options way out left).

Location

Immediately left of Cell Block Six. Note that the photos in the latest (2007) edition of the RRG guidebook are incorrect. This is the second route right of the big tree, beginning up a thin, 10' high, reddish flake.