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Hadley's Hand Crack

5.10, Trad, 130 ft (39 m),  Avg: 2 from 1 vote
FA: Liz Schmohl & Matt Simon
Utah > S Central Utah > San Rafael Swell > San Rafael Swel… > Buckhorn Wash > Lower Buckhorn > Mossback Buttress

Description

A fun route with splitter crack most of the way and a few sporty face moves guarding the chains.

This pitch has a funky, short lower section that takes you to a nice spacious belay ledge. You can break the pitch up here or climb the entire thing in one go. For one long pitch, you might want to beef up the rack depending on what you use on the approach pitch (see gear notes below).

Lower section (5.8, ~35 feet): begin in a left facing corner with a finger crack in the back. Make easy moves up and through a few bulges. At the top, the rock quality in the corner deteriorates - pick a line up and over the face to the belay shelf above. Build an anchor or continue up from here. 

Upper section (5.10, ~95 feet): Step off the nice shelf and climb ~40 feet of perfect splitter in a beautiful handcrack (3s & 4s). 

Navigate a wide pod and then jog left as the crack narrows down and the angle eases off. Make delicate moves using the crack and face features to move left and up to the anchor bolts.

Note: You can combine the lower & upper section with an 80m. If doing so, tie a knot because it’ll stretch you right to the end of the rope. And if you climb it in two pitches with a 70m, after pulling the rope from the upper portion there is an easy scramble down to the true base by walking climbers left off the belay ledge.

Location

This pitch is on the east-facing wall around the corner (climbers left) of Kent's Hand Crack.

Protection

Gear for lower section: .5, #1, 2x #2, optional #5.
Gear for upper section:
-Singles .2-.4, #5
-Doubles .5-#2,
-Triples: #3 & #4

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

The route. Lower section at the bottom, belay ledge out of sight, splitter is the upper section.
[Hide Photo] The route. Lower section at the bottom, belay ledge out of sight, splitter is the upper section.
Liz, enjoying a lap on this.
[Hide Photo] Liz, enjoying a lap on this.
Upper section, as seen from the belay ledge above the lower section.
[Hide Photo] Upper section, as seen from the belay ledge above the lower section.