Stairway to Heaven
5.10 YDS 6b French 20 Ewbanks VII- UIAA 19 ZA E2 5b British
Type: | Trad, 110 ft (33 m) |
FA: | unknown |
Page Views: | 3,500 total · 22/month |
Shared By: | Brian Hestetune on Jul 30, 2012 · Updates |
Admins: | Perin Blanchard, GRK, David Crane |
Description
The crux comes early with the overhanging hand to off-hands crack. Once you get past this pull yourself into the batshit .8 or so squeeze chimney. There is a single bolt at the widest part here. It is a pretty cool "bombay chimney" in this part as there is nothing beneath you. The 'stairway' steps and lie-backs are fairly mellow at .8 or so. The steep off-width crack at the top is the crux. Below here we chose to keep traversing right (5.8), but you should just pull the roof. Its much harder (5.10+) and more fun. Belay at the bolted anchor on the wall up and to the right.
Note: We did a variation to the traditional route by traversing right under the final roof. It seemed like a natural line at the time.
This is a classic and fun traditional climb.
Protection
There is a single bolt in the chimney and bolted anchor at the top for the belay. Bring triples from #1 to a #4 and a single #5. Tipped #6 placements are possible in a couple sectoins of the vertical sections of the chimney, but at its widest parts larger modern cams or big-bros would be needed. The climbing is around 5.8 here. A red C3 or Blue Totem cam can be placed in a pocket on the left-side of the second vertical section in lieu of a large cam. Bring many slings, including double-lengths to manage rope-drag. At the very top a spiked block can be slung for pro for the exit.
Note: someone bolted over the top of this long-standing and classic traditional climb a number of years back. Thankfully the bolts are now gone and this has been restored to a route traditional climbers can aspire to. It is indesputibly at the top of the list of Cache Valley's finest traditional routes.
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