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Vertical Therapy

5.9, Trad, TR, 60 ft (18 m),  Avg: 2.7 from 14 votes
FA: 1986 - Joe Parsley, Dennis Hemminger (from Portland Rock Climbs)
Oregon > Portland & The… > Rocky Butte > j. Toothpick Wall

Description

Really fun climb and super accessible. good tree for anchor and easy rappel down. Use a directional to avoid getting rope stuck in top crack, which is super annoying when jamming the sweet but all too short hand crack at the top . from this anchor spot you can climb "power surge" just to climber right

Location

West side of Toothpick Wall. Probably most obvious / well worn location on this wall. Anchor is big tree directly behind top out location. Easy rap down or use cave access to west side of wall. Belay from ground in relatively flat location. beginning of the climb is really more of a scramble up to the true start point about 10' off the ground at ledge

Protection

book says pro to 3" but its a better TR climb

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Vertical Therapy @ crux
[Hide Photo] Vertical Therapy @ crux
Finger crack in the middle of the picture and hand crack at the top. Yes, a directional piece will help keep your top rope out of the hand crack. :)
[Hide Photo] Finger crack in the middle of the picture and hand crack at the top. Yes, a directional piece will help keep your top rope out of the hand crack. :)
Since I was soloing, I just let my rope fall into the hand crack to help keep it in a line with the rest of the climb. However, again, you may want to use a piece to keep it out of the crack. Stellar!
[Hide Photo] Since I was soloing, I just let my rope fall into the hand crack to help keep it in a line with the rest of the climb. However, again, you may want to use a piece to keep it out of the crack. Stellar!
Nice hand crack as the last 10 feet of the climb!
[Hide Photo] Nice hand crack as the last 10 feet of the climb!
not sure if this is the intended start but its a fun bouldering move
[Hide Photo] not sure if this is the intended start but its a fun bouldering move
easy rappel - no fixed anchors, use tree
[Hide Photo] easy rappel - no fixed anchors, use tree

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

C h a d
5.9 R
[Hide Comment] This one very rarely gets led. Fun climb though. I wish the jamming lasted longer.

Chad Sep 9, 2015
Nate Ball

  5.9
[Hide Comment] Very sketchy lead. May 31, 2017
Vince Schreck
Portland, OR
  5.10a
[Hide Comment] This is one of my favorite climbs at Rocky Butte. A cool start along this incredibly sharp, arching-flake leads to a bit of a respite on a big sloping ledge. Next, you get this beautiful finger crack with decent feet. I think this section of finger crack is the crux and harder than its neighbor-climb "Power Surge at 10a." I think Vertical Therapy should be 10a and Power Surge should be 5.9. After the finger crack, you finish up with an amazing hand crack for about 10 feet or so (possible fists for smaller hands). I agree with Nate Ball...it's a sketchy lead...just top rope it. May 23, 2020
Nate Ball

  5.9
[Hide Comment] Another candidate for retro-bolting. Would be a very fine lead. Jul 7, 2020
D Fletcher
Portland, OR
5.9
[Hide Comment] Now has a stainless steel bolted anchor and quicklinks. You need to bring your own equalized anchor so that it can hang over the edge to eliminate rock rub May 4, 2023