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Best of Both Worlds

5.7, Trad, 80 ft (24 m),  Avg: 2.1 from 35 votes
FA: John Cardmon (solo), 1999
California > San Bernardino… > Big Bear Lake Area > Big Bear South > Mill Creek Rd Area > Black Bluff > Black Bluff - N… > Black Bluff - N Face…

Description

Climb the crack (hidden in the photo) on the right side inside of the chimney, or climb the chimney strictly to gain access to the ledge. Make some moves onto the face, then up to some small ledges. Anchors on the big ledge to the left on the tower, or continue up to the top of black bluff.

Another variation is to climb the chimney or the crack, then traverse over to the thin small roof portion that finishes on "Control Tower" anchors or link up the rest of "Best of Both Worlds".

Location

Located on the right side on the north face of Black Bluff.

Protection

Standard rack to #3 camalot
Couple runners for the ledges

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Flexgirl beta! Zoe shows us how it's done.
[Hide Photo] Flexgirl beta! Zoe shows us how it's done.
Scott exiting the chimney while dressed like a European sport climber.
[Hide Photo] Scott exiting the chimney while dressed like a European sport climber.
Krysten enjoying Best of Both Worlds
[Hide Photo] Krysten enjoying Best of Both Worlds
Kenny at the good jams at the top.
[Hide Photo] Kenny at the good jams at the top.
Coming out of the chimney up to the last big ledge! This is the best jamming of the route in my opinion!
[Hide Photo] Coming out of the chimney up to the last big ledge! This is the best jamming of the route in my opinion!
Best of Both Worlds, on the left
[Hide Photo] Best of Both Worlds, on the left
Best of Both Worlds (left). Just next to chimney.
[Hide Photo] Best of Both Worlds (left). Just next to chimney.
Best of both Worlds
[Hide Photo] Best of both Worlds
Best of both Worlds
[Hide Photo] Best of both Worlds

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Jeff Botimer
  5.8
[Hide Comment] I am not sure if the anchors that the description is talking about are exclusive to this route or if this route shares anchors with aurora borealis, but if "Best of both worlds" had its own anchors at one time, they are no longer there. I climbed up to the aurora anchors and used a directional to anchor this route. Aug 20, 2012
Chris Owen
Big Bear Lake
[Hide Comment] No anchors have been removed, but there are anchors on top of the detached tower making up one wall of the chimney (Control Tower anchors). Oct 10, 2012
Sean
Oak Park, CA
[Hide Comment] gear anchor at the tree atop the last big ledge, then walk off to climber's left; or continue up and right to go over easy blocks to reach bolted rap rings atop Aurora Borealis Sep 8, 2014
Ancent
Reno, NV
  5.7
[Hide Comment] From the top of the block, keep climbing, following the cracks up and right. There are nice rap rings at the top and nothing goes at harder than 5.7. May 28, 2016
Camron
  5.7
[Hide Comment] The only two anchors I found for this route are at the top of control tower or on top of Aurora Borealis. However, there are plenty of options to build an anchor at the top of the finger crack that goes up past the chimney portion of the climb. Jul 10, 2016
Jack C. Beckley
arcadia ca
 
[Hide Comment] We built an anchor at the last big ledge and then walked off to the climbers left! Worked great and would recommend doing it this way because there are some great jams past the "control tower" anchors. May 22, 2017