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Gill Route

V7, Boulder, Alpine,  Avg: 3.6 from 20 votes
FA: John Gill, 1959
Wyoming > Grand Teton NP > Jenny Lake Boul… > Red Cross Rock

Description

The "Gill Route" (not to be confused with the Gill Problem) is probably the classic Jenny Lake testpiece, and an historic boulder for any number of reasons.  I'll leave it to the man himself to clarify the two:

"I did it in 1959, not 1958. Here's the scoop as I remember it. By 1959 climbers had tried to get up that part of Red Cross for some time, and had failed. There was no right fingertip hold at that time, merely a kind of smooth irregularity in the rock with a horizontal hairline crack on top. Nothing anyone of any generation could possibly use. After some tries, I stood at the base facing the rock, placed my left toe on a small hold, grasped the large hold in the middle with my left hand, then toed off the ground with my right foot, pulling hard and rotating while reaching up over the lip to the dime sized hold there. No jump, but it was a smooth dynamic move. What I called a "swinging lieback". At the time others could not do it that way, so one day I took my hammer and chipped off a tiny bit of rock on the hairline crack, so that there was now a fingertip hold for the right hand. Then, as the years passed, the route saw several ascents. But usually the route, but not my problem. Some time after that, apparently someone chipped the fingertip hold a little bit more, which is what you find now - but I haven't been there in ten years or so. It's true the ground level has dropped over the years, but that should not make a substantial difference, since it's not a jump. I was a gymnast and worked the still rings at the time, so had plenty of strength. Someone might be able to do what I did by pulling onto the rock, then going for the top, if they were just the right size and could crimp themselves into that hollow, pulling on the large hold, then reaching over the top. Even then I suspect it would be dynamic.If this happens I would love to see it, please post a photo or video!
John Gill"

Protection

Pads, or not for added historical value.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Preparing to top out
[Hide Photo] Preparing to top out
Going for the crimp
[Hide Photo] Going for the crimp

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

[Hide Comment] Thanks to John Gill for clarifying the history of this iconic boulder! May 1, 2019
Joseph Crotty
Carbondale, CO
 
[Hide Comment] No doubt it's an historic problem but it is not a classic. Classics climbs check the box on a number of attributes; good landing, clean solid mostly friendly stone, great movement, compelling setting, and that extra special wow factor (i.e., either you get it or you don't). The biggest detraction for this problem is the poor starting holds which could break off at any time and audibly creek and groan when loaded. Second, the sharp crux right hand crimp limits attempts. On the pro side the crux dyno is hard, unique and very cool. That this was done in 1959 in mountain boots should be sufficient for everyone's wow factor.

I am not a fan of the polished quartz granite but objectively that's not a mark against the route as it's a style that say a Devil's Lake boulder is adept at - in other words it's not a detraction rather an invitation to adapt and overcome. Aug 30, 2021
Chaz O
  V7
[Hide Comment] I'm very impressed the starting hold has held on for this long... Speaks volumes of the rock quality here. I take stars away because that crimp is soooo sharp!! Sep 4, 2021
Sloan Nellis
Austin, TX