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Tail Tucker

5.11a, Trad, 300 ft (91 m), 3 pitches,  Avg: 2.8 from 4 votes
FA: Kevin Worrall & Sean Shannon
California > San Diego County > S San Diego County > Eagle Peak > Left Wall
Warning Access Issue: Nesting falcons reported, 2012 through 2015 DetailsDrop down

Description

P1 (5.10a): Climb past bolts up the slabby face about 30' left of "Cruise Line" and Lunch Rock. Finish at a rap anchor below the start of the dihedral.
P2 (5.10b/c): Climb right from the belay to bolts (what I did... or maybe unprotected straight up?) clipping two of them before veering left into the start of the dihedral as is angles left, then back right to a crux bulge near the finish. Belay at the higher of two anchors. 2 bolts & pro to 2.5"
P3 (5.11a): Climb the steep dihedral straight off the belay. Continuously cruxy and strenuous liebacking, stemming, and gastons get you through the pitch, easing up well after you expect it to. From there either trend right to an anchor top out via the last pitch of "Baby Face" or trend up and left to the last pitch of "Shining Slab", clipping a bolt or two along the way.

Location

This route climbs the right-hand of two major right-facing dihedrals on the left side of Eagle Peak's Main Wall. The first pitch starts directly below it, just past Lunch Rock where the trail begins to drop steeply along the base of the crag.
Descent: Walk off to the right or rap (bring rap hardware for anchors that may not have fixed hardware!)

Protection

Single rack with nuts and thin cams up to #2 camalot.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Dan Leading Pitch 1 of Tail Tucker
[Hide Photo] Dan Leading Pitch 1 of Tail Tucker

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

DannyJ
San Diego, CA
  5.11d
[Hide Comment] The descriptions for pitch 1 and 2 of this route are accurate, but I found pitch 3 to be much more difficult than 11a. My partner and I onsighted Friendly Fire (12a) prior to getting on this route and thought the 3rd pitch was much harder than any pitch on Friendly Fire. From the pitch 2 anchors there are several crux moves one after another with little rest in between. Pitch 3 might be 11a if the crack on it was cleaned out properly; there are several large clumps of grass and dirt blocking jams that would break up the hard movement. Still a great pitch of climbing, especially if pitch 2 and 3 are linked (very doable w/ a 70m and double rack). Mar 28, 2021
Kevin Worrall
La Jolla, Ca
 
[Hide Comment] We cleaned the top of the corner almost 20 years ago, before the FA, and I’m not surprised that some of the grass is back for that last 20 ft.

It would probably take 20 minutes on rappel to clean it again, if somebody would step up to help maintain the crag for the benefit of all. Btw - the best tool for the job is a retired pruning saw with a curved, flexible blade

Clean, it is easy 5.11, and the route is a nice change from the clip ups. May 11, 2021