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A List of the Wasatch Wide Cracks.

Original Post
Orphaned · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 11,560

Hey Dudes!

I'm in need of ruining my knees and elbows again, would somebody list as many of the Wasatch Offwidths? I want to establish a Wasatch Offwidth Circuit similiar to that of Yosemite. Whatever canyon, just the wide nipple removing stuff.

Troy Anderson

James Garrett · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Jun 2005 · Points: 5,461

TDA,
Must be something with the surname Anderson that draws you to the wide stuff. Jay Anderson (who has since relocated to Arizona at least 25 years ago) and Dave Anderson (not related)were both OW Masters. I believe it was Dave, who in his quest to find hidden OW gems, first stumbled onto what would become Trench Warfare. 95% of the OW routes those guys first climbed in LCC never made it to the Guidebook and they left no to little trace. They were purists in the purist form. Both had one or two wide home made Friends that the late great (also OW Master) Lynn Wheeler (of Wheels On Fire fame) had manufactured himself!

In the Eagle Buttress area, Dave and I once climbed "Corkback Crack", OW....he called it 5.10+, but I am sure it was harder.... which he had climbed with Big Bros and he left an aluminum beer can wedged into one of the flaring sections with a sling jokingly attached.

I think their is still an unclimbed potential classic....only OW can become classic for the disturbed eclectic few.... up in Lone Peak Cirque (west or right side of Hyperform Wall)which he scouted out on a foray some years before his untimely death. He used to talk on and on about it being in the Astroman league of OW cracks! Let's go up this summer! I'll belay you!

bsmoot · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 3,183

LCC

-Burner
-Firestarter
-Lowe Blowe
-Deception, Altered States
-Certain Death
-S Crack
-Robbins Crack, Thumb
-Creep Show
-Goodrows Nightmare
-Scumbag Crack

BELLS CANYON

-Lowe Conrod Route
-Regge Pole
-The Sting

LONE PEAK

-Triple Overhangs
-Tom's Thumb Left & Right
-Spencer Route
-Degenerate Crack
-Shadow of Death

tenesmus · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2004 · Points: 3,023

Brian IS the guidebook. He's forgotten about more routes in the Wasatch than I've been able to do.

bsmoot · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 3,183
tenesmus wrote:Brian IS the guidebook. He's forgotten about more routes in the Wasatch than I've been able to do.
That's why I need you guys to help me clear out the cobwebs.

Troy: You getting ready for Zion?
Duncan Murray · · Salt Lake City · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 305

TDA,

7 years in the Wasatch and I've never been to LP either. If you and James don't go, catch me when I'm crazy enough to hike my heart out, oh, and I'd love to run up Moonlight in Zion's again, but in a day if you are willing and able!

Tea · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 223

What about Cloister, up the fin gully? Anyone done that wide momma?

looks like the old leeper could be bypassed with modern gear.

Anyone done Regge Pole?

Duncan Murray · · Salt Lake City · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 305

LOL! Thanks for the correction.

bsmoot · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 3,183

Mark Rolofson and Les Ellison repeated the Regge Pole around 1979 or 1980. 5" cams weren't available. It was an epic/fall fest, but they made it...Mark led the roof. Big adventure!

Duncan Murray · · Salt Lake City · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 305

Better to be a dick than an asshole, because they just want to shit all over everything!!! I explained all that long ago I believe. Got me in some hot water with certain people! ;)

mikewhite · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2007 · Points: 55

Wide cracks? She was blond with blue eyes and veary wide her self.
But I can't rember her name right now because I was Toasted.
I think it was sandy, Mabey Brandy.
Who cares just add it to your list.

Duncan Murray · · Salt Lake City · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 305
mikewhite wrote: Wide cracks? She was blond with blue eyes and veary wide her self. But I can't rember her name right now because I was Toasted. I think it was sandy, Mabey Brandy. Who cares just add it to your list.
Hahahaha! And we all have that one we so regret!
jonathan knight · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2006 · Points: 265

Slam Jam Thank You Ma'am, she's one of my favorites. I recently gave her an anchor and replaced the 1/4 incher. Everyone needs some love, but watch out she's not easy. You need some skills, and better bring some clippers for the sticker bush, unless you don't mind. Her three, equally appealing, friends are standing by, so don't get too ploughed if you want to try them all.

Brian in SLC · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 21,711

I'll add a few easy ones I can think of...

Bong Bong Firecracker (Fuse variation too if I recall correctly) and Ream Crack on the Sail.

Chicken Chickenhead.

Callitwhatyouplease kinda has a wide part on it.

Isn't there a boulder problem at the Gate boulder area that's got some wide-ish component to it? The Gate Chimney?

Devil Tree is wide fist at the crux (I dimly recall tossin' in an arm bar too, methinks).

Seems like there's a wide pitch or two to be had in the Tingey's Terror and Torture variations.

Tico · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 0

If we're including boulder problems, there's the on on the Smiley boulder (5 mile marker), which is much more fun if you don't use the holds on the face (and sit start it off stacked hands). Also there's the offwidth boulder near the park and ride lot in LCC (head up the trail at the east end of lot, keep heading east and you can't miss it on the north).

Duncan Murray · · Salt Lake City · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 305
Tico wrote:If we're including boulder problems, there's the on on the Smiley boulder (5 mile marker), which is much more fun if you don't use the holds on the face (and sit start it off stacked hands). Also there's the offwidth boulder near the park and ride lot in LCC (head up the trail at the east end of lot, keep heading east and you can't miss it on the north).
I'll second that about that boulder crack at 5 Mile...

Oh, and did anyone mention the 5.10c at the top of the Thumb?
Tea · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 223

The robbins OW is cool!

Throw in the colon piercing pungy stick that some maniac sharpened right below the start (obviously a bored belayer)....and it's full value!

Valentine crack...what a grovel for the grade...I was a new and terrified 5.6 leader with not much big pro but myself..STUFFED in that thing...lol.

Is that semi-hanging belay still three blades straight up in? whoa.

those ham fisted sail routes Brian notes are cool to....excellent position up there.

Nathan Fisher · · St George · Joined Apr 2001 · Points: 7,680
Tea wrote:Valentine crack...what a grovel for the grade...I was a new and terrified 5.6 leader with not much big pro but myself..STUFFED in that thing...lol. Is that semi-hanging belay still three blades straight up in?
Valentine Crack scared the hell out of me. I took the 1st pitch and ended up belaying early, cause I was so spooked. In my defense, I had no big gear.
Sam Gileadi · · Surf City · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 30
Troy D. Anderson wrote: KEEP THE LIST COMING, I'M GOING TO COMPILE IT AND PUT A OFF-WIDTH CIRCUIT FOR THE LOCALS.
Sweet!!
Zac Robinson · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Jul 2006 · Points: 415
James Garrett wrote:In the Eagle Buttress area, Dave and I once climbed "Corkback Crack", OW....he called it 5.10+, but I am sure it was harder.... which he had climbed with Big Bros and he left an aluminum beer can wedged into one of the flaring sections with a sling jokingly attached.
corkback crack? where is this one at? on the eagle buttress proper? or just in the area?

and to add to the thread...
Mission to Moscow,
BethAnne's crack
of course Trench Warfare
Razzamatazz and all that Jazz
The 3rd pitch of the Green A looks nice
Why Not just up past the trinities looks a bit wider than easy.

I like wide stuff. Let's go find some good ones.
George Vigeon · · Bend, OR · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 35

Bong Eater...probably because I have small hands but there is a nice OW mantle at the top, and by nice I mean grovel. The technique I used was something along the lines of Fist Stack to Chicken Wing to Beached Whale. Actually that whole area (the park n' ride) has quite a few...I lent my book to someone so I don't know what they are called but I remember cringing at the thought...

If you climb Zion or Canyonlands you will inevitably do enough OW to rub a few layers of skin off of any exposed body parts...

And polished squeeze chimneys...ugh I hate those...

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Northern Utah & Idaho
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