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Split Seam

5.10a R, Trad, 60 ft (18 m),  Avg: 2.8 from 5 votes
FA: Gary Olsen and Steve Britt, 1985
Utah > Wasatch Range > Central Wasatch > Big Cottonwood… > Challenge Buttress > N & W Faces

Description

A BCC gem, Split Seam is flashback to bold, traditional, quartzite climbing. An interesting, fun, and ever steepening climb with a high, powerful crux. Scramble up to a left-facing, thin, corner/crack system and follow the faint seam to a small over-lap/roof with a break through its center. As good as anything else at Challenge and no where near as greasy as the gang-bang bolted piles at the base. Punch it to the ridge line and hang ten off the top! This 5.10 is for grown-ups.

Location

Lookers right of Better Than Bitter, Split Seam is the left-facing dihedral 10-15 feet off the ground.

Protection

A single rack of cams up to at least 3 inches and stoppers. Runners, draws are necessary and a cordelette is nice for building an anchor above.