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Unrest of the Witches

5.10d, TR, 80 ft (24 m),  Avg: 2.7 from 3 votes
FA: TR Ken Roberts + Mike Burk 2015
New York > Powerlinez > k. Tower Wall area > 6. The Tower Wall
Warning Access Issue: As of November 2021, there are new parking arrangements. Please follow this guidance. DetailsDrop down

Description

Variety of interesting thoughtful moves. Flaw is that the two crux moves are significantly harder than the rest.

Start just right of the No Rest for the Wicked wide crack on the right side of the Shark's tooth flake. Up a short ways (not using any part of the the "No Rest Wicked" crack), then a bit farther right from the crack. After the two crux moves, continue roughly straight up. To keep the difficulty from dropping so much lower, perhaps go on left side of first rounded nose, then about three-quarters of the way to the top overhang, climb directly up the second rounded nose or its right side - (Variation interesting + less difficult: Step six feet right to a pair of cracks, the Original FA version of TWD ).

Finish to the right of the obvious notch at the top of the "No Rest Wicked" route through vertical fins+cracks - (Variation much easier: Finish on right-facing corner under big dark roof at right end of those vertical fins/cracks).
Above that is gentler sloping rock.

Height+Reach: First crux move is likely much harder for climbers much shorter than 5ft7inch with normal reach. Variation: this move could be bypassed by starting up the "No Rest Wicked" wide crack then traversing Right to under the second crux move.
Higher on the route, going directly up the rounded nose is perhaps similarly height-dependent. Could use the interesting variation to avoid it.

warning: The rock on and around this route has not been climbed much yet, and much of the rock is still breakable and loose -- so the belayer and other people should stand far away from underneath the climber.

. . . (Lots of vegetation on this rock as of 2014. Be prepared when climbing to navigate around protruding trees and branches, and dealing with holds slippery with grass, lichen, moss, dirt).

Location

Find the detached flake ("Shark's Tooth") about 15 feet high which is about 20-30 feet left of Rachel's Crack. Start on the face just right of the Shark's Tooth.
Overall this route is parallel to No Rest for the Wicked but five to ten feet to its right, and parallel to TWD but ten feet to its left.
See on Overview of routes Photo.

Protection

Top-Rope: Setting up top anchor for belaying from the bottom is simplest and quickest with static line at least 100 feet and some class 4 down-climbing to reach the top of the steeper climbing sections. Might be other ways with different equipment and techniques. Or could belay from the top.

Reaching the top of the cliff: One simple (but not short) way is to hike left (WNW) past the base of sectors Three Bears and Daves Wall to the intersection of the Tower Wall tier trail with The Good Book access trail. Turn Right and follow The Good Book trail up a steep slope, then after it gets gentle, find a way off it right and upward toward the mini-summit view at the top of the Tower Wall cliff.

Lead? - No reliable protection for trad leading of the crux sections).

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

routes overview Left side Tower Wall<br>
A Risky Bear / Ex-Traction Slab<br>
B Any Which Way / Ex-Traction<br>
C Crefeld Crank<br>
D Back to the Gym<br>
E Back to the Wall<br>
F No Rest for the Wicked<br>
G Unrest of the Witches<br>
H TWD original Lead<br>
Hd TWD direct start<br>
He . . tired climber finish<br>
Htr TWD straight TR finish<br>
J Rachel's Crack
[Hide Photo] routes overview Left side Tower Wall A Risky Bear / Ex-Traction Slab B Any Which Way / Ex-Traction C Crefeld Crank D Back to the Gym E Back to the Wall F No Rest for the Wicked G Unrest of t…
Unrest of the Witches - on left side of Tower Wall
[Hide Photo] Unrest of the Witches - on left side of Tower Wall

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Reuben W
New York, NY
[Hide Comment] Fun and thoughtful route to lead, albeit kinda contrived not using the flake or crack. A bit of an arm stretch to protect the first ~25ft given that the climb is a few ft to the fight of the No Rest for the Wicked crack. But possible to stuff a couple smaller cams before/while committing to the face-ish crux moves. Jan 4, 2021