Type: Sport, 180 ft (55 m), 2 pitches
FA: cleaned and bolted by Mark Sprague, but much of the terrain previously climbed by others
Page Views: 13,199 total · 66/month
Shared By: M Sprague on Sep 18, 2007
Admins: Jay Knower, M Sprague, Lee Hansche, Jeffrey LeCours, Jonathan S, Robert Hall

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Description Suggest change

This is perhaps one of the best 5.9s at Rumney (at least for it's airy positioning), offering two pitches of climbing on the far right side of the Iron Man Wall. The first pitch warms you up with 100 ft of scrambly to quality moderate (5.7) climbing following corner systems. The second starts out with a bang, with an exposed, pumpy traverse out flakes. 

Pitch 1 Starts up the rightmost bolted line (galvanized glue-ins) of the Iron Man Wall. Just right of Gold Digger, climb up to an easy right leaning scrambly ramp to get you up on the buttress, then, using a bucket sidepull, step up a little left onto the wall proper, then angle up right into a nice corner, following the eyebolts to an excellent belay ledge. 5.7 (Breaking off left and following another corner with regular hangered bolts is a 5.7 way to get to the second pitch anchor of Goldbug, and the start of The Thang)

Pitch 2 Now for the main course! Head out left on the big flake system past a couple bolts. Stay low on the flakes and keep traversing until you are about 8 feet past the last bolt in the overhang and it starts to feel scary, then mantel and head up a short slab to a notch with an overhang above. Note - It can be confusing with the bolts on the slab. There is a bolt out left after doing the initial flake traverse from the belay (regular hanger) from an old project. Don't let it pull you off route. Stick with the fat galvanized glue-ins through there, but also don’t break right too early into Going Nuts or you will quickly be into 13 territory.

Once up the short slab, undercling and reach the top of the overhang and hand traverse right until you can mantel over. Get a shake, then head right around the arete into the exposure and up. Finishes straight up on flakes to a bolted anchor. From here, lower (don't rap) back to the belay.  You will need to get a little swing going or carefully get pulled in to get back to the belay, as the wall overhangs some. Have the second clean the route and tram back to you.

From the mid  belay you can just get down to the base the way you came with a 60m rope. Be especially careful of loose stones on your descent and while pulling the rope as there are usually people below. 

This route is a great outing with excellent positioning and views of the Main Cliff and the Baker River valley below.

The 2nd pitch leader should be comfortable with 5.9 as the traverse moves off the first anchor are relatively stiff and intimidating (good positive holds though ;-)  The top anchor is out of sight and good hearing from the mid belay, so have your routine worked out and well communicated before you head off.

Location Suggest change

Furthest right route on the main face of the Iron Man Wall. Just right of Gold Digger, starts up from the highest right corner of the main staging area

Protection Suggest change

All bolted with bolted anchors. Take some alpine slings and longer draws. Proper use of them should preclude any bad rope drag. 

I'd suggest the 2nd pitch leader gets lowered  back to the mid belay rather than rapping so the belayer can pull them in. Have somebody follow the second pitch to clean the the gear, then tram back to the belay.

Photos

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