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Gummi Bear Exchange

5.11b, Sport, 80 ft (24 m),  Avg: 2.8 from 52 votes
FA: Shannon Stuart-Smith, Adam Nolte (2018)
Kentucky > Red River Gorge > Bald Rock Recre… > Hazel Hollow

Description

Starts off a ledge on pockets and plates then heads up on jugs and sidepulls to a protruding juggy low roof.  Extended chain perma draw has been installed at the third bolt to help reduce rope drag pass a small roof.  Easy and enjoyable climbing in the middle brings you to the crimp crux headwall with deep incut iron oxide ridges beneath the anchors.

Location

Right of the previous line, this one goes up and skirts around the left side of the roof.

Protection

8 bolts to anchors.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Will from Traverse City on his flash of Gummi Bear Exchange.
[Hide Photo] Will from Traverse City on his flash of Gummi Bear Exchange.
The cool double hueco features that Gummi Bear climbs out. <br> <br> Photo credit: Julie Gabrielle
[Hide Photo] The cool double hueco features that Gummi Bear climbs out. Photo credit: Julie Gabrielle

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Noah Betz
Beattyville, KY
  5.11b PG13
[Hide Comment] Cool roof sequence with truly horrific bolting after. Completely unnecessary ankle snapping potential moving through the crux. Skip unless you’re solid at the grade and feel like gambling with chossy feet Apr 21, 2023
Jake Sankari
Indianapolis, IN
  5.11-
[Hide Comment] I'm not convinced this is 11b the crux is the roof with a couple different ways to tackle it so maybe I just found the path of least resistance to the right. There is more fun near the finish but I could see this be graded 10c or 10d if it was done in the 90's.

FWIW I would skip the bolt directly after the roof for drag Oct 26, 2023
Adam Gallimore
Greensboro
  5.11
[Hide Comment] Climbing was fun and the roof pull was neat. The top boulder problem guarding the last bolt could be problematic if you fall before clipping the last bolt. Very high quality for the wall but challenging for the novice 5.11 leader. Dec 4, 2023
Jarek Voyles
Beattyville, KY
 
[Hide Comment] Fun stuff! Skirting right at the roof definitely softens the grade down a good deal. Going straight up feels more true, but calling it 11b still might be a bit of a stretch. The bolting above the roof is fine. Commit to reaching the clipping jugs at the last bolt and you’ll be fine. If you’re not feeling it, just have your buddy hang the draws. With an attentive belay, I doubt blowing the last couple moves to the chains would be all that problematic. Any feet you would likely use are solid. Apr 7, 2024
Jessica Wilcox
Nanaimo, BC
  5.11b
[Hide Comment] Oh Noah don't be so dramatic :p bolting fine Oct 27, 2024
Ryan Stoess
Louisville, KY
[Hide Comment] I enjoyed this climb a lot! It was chill for the grade because it offered some great rest to manage pump and the top and bottom sections offer opportunities to try hard if this is your grade. Here is a 3ed person video if you'd like to check out some bata. I went right at the roof but it just seemed like the most logical path. Plus you get to hang out on the roof for a few more move so that's fun! youtu.be/tn1C18ZwzlQ Dec 1, 2024