Creaking Plank

Formerly a trad route with somewhat shaky rock, retro-bolting and aggressive cleaning have created one of the better 5.9 sport routes in BCC. The first three bolts protect increasingly steep climbing, culminating in a wild overhanging layback up a hollow flake. Above, more bolts protect a slabby but airy traverse to the right and spectacular climbing just left of an arête. Above, stay left of the Red Gorilla/Nimbus chains on the face of a block-like feature past a bolt, then up to the last bolt protecting a boulder move to hidden chains. See the photodiagram on the Orbital Decay page.

Follow the approach for Starstruck. Once on the ledge system from which Starstruck starts, walk east on the ledge, eventually passing under the slightly overhanging bolt lines of Red Gorilla and Nimbus, to a point where the ledge begins to die out and downclimbing would be necessary to continue east (but don't do it; the route starts here). Above this point the first three bolts of Creaking Plank should be readily visible. See the Orbital Decay page for a photodiagram.

Descent: Probably best to rap off the chains, rather than lowering. If you do lower, and the rope is running through the draws, anticipate a very hard pull.

Eight draws, plus biners for the belay. A small cam or medium size nut may be useful for getting to the first bolt, but the climbing is easy (the exposure, however, is a different matter). Consider using a shoulder-length runner for the third bolt to reduce rope drag later, once above the roof.