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Bender

5.11d, Sport, 70 ft (21 m),  Avg: 2.9 from 32 votes
FA: Steve Cater 1998
W Virginia > New River Gorge… > Summersville (G… > Whippoorwill

Description

A sustained fun climb on super solid white rock.

Climb up the easier terrain to the high first bolt. Continue up to the overhang where the business starts. Crimp hard and work to a jug and some easier moves to follow. Catch a much needed rest on the ledge and fire the last few moves on the increasingly slopier holds to a balancy finish.

Location

In between Masuko and Nonameyet.

Protection

6 bolts and anchor.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Chris Fogarty on Bender | Photo by @crimp_scampi
[Hide Photo] Chris Fogarty on Bender | Photo by @crimp_scampi
Chris Fogarty on Bender | Photo by @crimp_scampi
[Hide Photo] Chris Fogarty on Bender | Photo by @crimp_scampi

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

BrianWS
  5.11+
[Hide Comment] Just repeated this route and man, there is a pretty significant run between the last two bolts (20 feet or so?). There is no cruxy movement here, but the climbing is hard 5.10 on chalkless holds. It would be a clean, but very big fall.

There is a bomber cam placement (.3 BD or yellow c4) about 10 feet below the last bolt, about 6 o'clock. This definitely helps with the spook factor. Mar 26, 2017
Bennett LaFond
Denver, CO
 
[Hide Comment] Pretty sure the photo for this route is not Bender, but something to the left of Masuko. Agreed with BrianWS that the runout is pretty spooky, and the clipping position on the last bolt is a tad tenuous. If you're comfortable at the grade it's a good rush, but I've heard the bolting called "unconscionable", and I might agree.

For full value, avoid skipping to the jugs out left on the second crux. Jan 24, 2019
Dan Arters
Fayetteville, WV
 
[Hide Comment] This route is needlessly unsafe up top if you just clip bolts. Fun climbing but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone without bringing a cam for the runout between the last two bolts. Falling at the last bolt would land you close to the ground with a good belayer and no clipping slack. Be careful Nov 1, 2021