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Stage Fright

5.12a, Sport, 130 ft (39 m), 2 pitches,  Avg: 2 from 1 vote
FA: T. Perkins, J. Fassett
Colorado > Independence Pass > Grotto Walls Area > Lower Grotto Wall

Description

Stage Fright certainly lives up to its name! Be sure to get on this one if you're feeling mentally strong; for me, the crux was keeping my head together while making hard moves way above the ground with my last bolt out of sight beneath my feet! Both pitches offer quality climbing with a bit of headiness, so regardless of if you only do the first pitch or do both, this is a good climb.

P1: start up the face on the far left side of the slab. Stick clip the first bolt or build a gear anchor for the belayer if you're not comfortable on this terrain, because a fall by the leader before the first bolt will send both climbers tumbling down the slab and over the cliff below. At the second bolt, traverse right into the dihedral and climb it to the roof (crux). More big pulls and stemming gets you to the anchor (5.11b)

P2: climb up and left along a weakness until you hit a big pancake above the 2nd bolt. Traverse up and right (crux), reach right to clip the 3rd bolt, and pull onto the slab. Make scary moves right above the bolt to the 4th bolt and easier climbing to the anchors.

NOTE: The anchors at the top of the second pitch were lowered in the summer of 2012 to reduce rope drag from pulling over the slab. If you want to go to the original anchors, you can clip the new anchor and pull the mantle onto the low-angle slab to the anchors above.

Location

From the base of Lower Grotto Wall, walk right along the wall until you can traverse back left on the huge slab. Stage Fright is the furthest left route on the slab.

Protection

P1 has 7 bolts and a chain anchor. P2 has 4 bolts and an anchor with lower biners.