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Ripcurl

5.11a, Trad, 110 ft (33 m),  Avg: 2 from 5 votes
FA: NP, KH
Nevada > Southern Nevada > Red Rocks > (01) Calico Basin > Red Springs Rock
Warning Access Issue: Red Rock RAIN AND WET ROCK: The sandstone is fragile and is very easily damaged when wet. DetailsDrop down

Description

A funky line that is not for everyone. A wide layback with one bolt leads to an "a cheval" ride across the top of the flake, clipping 2 bolts, then steep pulling over a bulge to a gear-protected seam. This leads up crispy crack to a rest stance, some sketchball loose flake wrestling, a fixed thread, and a short corner leading to a roof with a downward-facing half inch bolt. Pull right around the roof, clip a high bolt, navigate through steep terrain to one last bolt, and make a final throw to a jug and clip chains at chest level. If you clip the chains before the throw, you wussed out.

Location

Just right of Rocky Road, a good landmark is the wide layback crack up the smooth slab.

Protection

Eight bolts and a single rack to 1", maybe a second set of TCUs for those wanting to load up the gear. We found ballnutz useful but others may demur. Long slings or double rope technique will be appreciated when hitting the steeps on this long pitch. 70M rope required to lower.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Cunning Linguist
  5.11a
[Hide Comment] Similar to Mavericks, this line had been looked at for a long time by members of the first ascent party, but snow in the canyons and short winter days finally made this send a necessity. Upon pulling over the top (Nate dragged his pumped self over the top above a #1 ballnut and found an anchor three moves higher than he wanted it) he saw an awkwardly placed TR anchor and some initials, a date, and a name for the "climb", written in Sharpie directly on the rock.

What a proud legacy we leave for future generations by scrawling graffiti on the rock.

This route recieved it's first ascent via ground-up, no hooks, chalkess climbing. We added several bolts to keep people from hurting themselves (until higher on the route). Apr 19, 2014
[Hide Comment] If indeed you had been looking at this route for a long time, then you would've seen the top-rope anchors on both this route and "Mavericks." No, this route did not see "its first ascent via ground-up, no hooks, chalkless climbing." Both routes were top-roped no less than a dozen times by me and a few friends, more than 6 years ago. I can't speak to what dip-shit felt the need to scrawl a date/name with a sharpie at the top of the route but it wasn't done by anyone in my party. Curious why you chose to make Mavericks a clip-up while using ball-nuts and threads in chossy rock to protect the mid-upper part of Rip Curl? Too bad we cleaned it up for you and you didn't get to it in its virgin state; your chalkless adventure would have been more stimulating. Thanks for (partially) bolting up my TR lines. Apr 21, 2014
Cunning Linguist
  5.11a
[Hide Comment] Ooh you mad bro. Nice sharpie work up there.

Edit to add: civility breeds such, the opposite likewise. It's interesting to note the different approaches to the same rock face...one is surprised that the investigation didn't begin at the top while the other...well, we just went out and did some rock climbing. I think these unreported TR lines are worthy and contrasting leads, and, just to answer the chain yank...the clip up takes a face and unprotectable seam. The mixed line has cracks that take good enough gear to keep us happy. Thus..............................ah, you'll figure it out. Apr 21, 2014
[Hide Comment] "mad"? Not even. Amused...by your constant drivel? Sometimes. So, "an unprotectable seam" on Mavericks is bolted ground-up with no hooks? Very impressive free-stance drilling...with no chalk! Bravo...you are so bold and so trad. We are so fortunate that the "snow in the canyons and the short winter days finally made this send a necessity." Would've been a real shame if a hone-master like you didn't have the opportunity to display his skill set above the Red Springs picnic area while bringing to a fruition a couple of unknown/unnamed top-rope problems. My testicles small. Yours HUGE. Apr 22, 2014
[Hide Comment] So have the retro-bolts been chopped yet? Jan 23, 2015
[Hide Comment] I thought this was a fun one. 3 stars in my book for the variety and length. thanks to fa team for a great route Oct 28, 2021