PRINT: Rock Climb Tantric Bazooka, Index

Tantric Bazooka

5.11d, Trad, 100 ft (30 m),

Avg: 3.6 from 8 votes
FA: unknown
Washington > Central-W Casca… > Skykomish Valley > Index > Lower Town Wall > (C) Main Wall, left side

Access Issue: Warning for the Great Northern Slab and Sonic Slab areas on the west (left) end Details

In late Nov 2023, there was a significant rockfall encompassing the GNS, Sonic Slab, and Roger's Corner areas. There is still a ton of rock on the upper section that will very likely come down in the near future. This rock includes small and very large boulders. Please respect closures and avoid this region for the foreseeable future. For more information or updates please refer to the Climb Index! facebook page.

Description

Start via Sagittarius, but continue straight up through into thin flake, where Sagittarius cuts hard left. After a great rest, some strenuous layback moves and a few bolts lead to and under-cling mini roof, from here cut right to join P1 of TPMV via a few reachy moves.

Note the under-cling above the thin flake stays damp for a long time after rain, this is where you place your piece to protect the moves to rejoin TPMV. Worth taking a look from the ground before embarking.

Location

Starts on Sagittarius, look for the huge flake system in the middle of the wall, bordered by the thin crack of Iron Horse to the left and the iconic corner of Japanese Gardens to the right.

Protection

Doubles of #0.3-#0.5, singles #0.75-#3, plus 3-4 draws for the bolts and fixed gear on route. Save at least one finger size piece for the last bit before anchor(0.3 or 0.4). If wide handcracks are not your thing, bring one extra big hands piece for the start on Sag (#3).

Be sure to extend your pieces properly at the start, under the roof and once you rejoin TPMV or you can get some pretty heinous rope drag.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

blakeherrington

The two bolts near the wafer flake were added with the FA's permission. The undercling moves rightward to join TPMV are trivial (jug-to-jug) if you're over 5'10" or so, and become a desperate boulder problem if you're short, making this more like solid 5.12 or 5.12+. May 12, 2015

JCM

I have a 5'8 wingspan, and can just barely (fingertips to fingertips, face pressed against the rock) reach jug-to-jug when exiting into TPMV. Not trivial, though; this move definitely still feels like the crux. As Blake notes, it would be much, much harder if you could not reach between the jugs.

An excellent route, and highly recommended. Apr 12, 2016

Eric Hirst

5.12a/b

The crux for me is after it joins TPMV. On TR at least, it felt like 11+ to the junction, 12- above. Sep 30, 2018

Matt Carroll
Van

5.12a

Probably a sand bag at 11+, feels a bit harder than iron horse in almost any sense, but irrelevant. The climbing is really awesome. Overlap tends to seep a bit, but honestly if your able to make the span it being a little wet doesn’t matter. Aug 19, 2020

Mrs Welllington
Vancouver, CA

After baby girl hung a top rope for me, I anxiously scampered to the roof. I was super excited to see if the illusive morpho reach was indeed 12+ for shorties.

The bottom of Sagittarius went by in a blur, the stretch of my top rope building the fear in my heart. Overcoming the pressure and emotion, I continued - blacking out through the choss fingers layback and finally reaching the roof.

I reached, and at 5 feet 5 inches and 3/4 of an inch, it was no surprise I couldn't reach!!! But it felt close enough to jump! My heart pounded. How does one jump out of an undercling!? I made a prayer to an ant that was crawling across the rock just 2 centimeters from my nose, and jumped! My right hand stretched out while I bravely let go with my left hand.

I know the Olympics are coming very soon, and I felt Janja's spirit pulsing through my veins. To my delight, my right hand latched the crack while my left hand simultaneously cobra snatched the lip of the roof - like holding a plate of pasta. I'd successfully executed a double clutch through the morpho reach.

Upon reaching the end of my free snake (top rope), I lowered back to the roof to repeat the sequence - I had to make sure it wasn't a fluke or a top rope dab. With a little more confidence this time I reared up for the move. Right foot high on the nob, left foot pasted on the far right on the blank slab below the roof. Again to my surprise and delight it felt even easier- but just as cool the second time. I looked again at my ant friend who had climbed cautiously through the sequence without a dyno or reach. A small nod of appreciation. If he can do it, I can do it. And if I can do it, so can you. Jul 23, 2021

Turd Burgler

I brought some small-ish nuts (bd 4 - 7), and was thankful to have them for the stance after the sideways dyno crux. The cam placement there felt strange and flared, so I was glad to have the stoppers to keep me from pooping my pants. Jul 23, 2021