Bell Out of Order 

I'm curious if there is anybody that actually has done this route. And I mean done in the sense of lead it ground up without falling.

It's a beautiful route going up clean rock on an orange stain. I took a gander at it and seriously considered leading it as the guide indicated it at 11a/b. But in a moment of weakness or clarity I realized I was not feeling as froggy or strong as I'd like and opted to set up a TR from the neighboring .10 (The anchors just a few feet away from each other and easily accomplished.)

I tie in my TR and boulder up to the first bolt. I bit technical as I thought about leading it and falling into the rocks below. I get to the side pulls, I get my feet up, I shoot for a small notch in the stone which I get then..... what's next? SHUT DOWN!!! TAKE!! HANG!!!

After several attempts and my fingers protesting I decide to not try any further. Even if I made it through it would be in horrible style. I lower. Two other fairly competent .11 climbers attempted out little TR session and failed just as miserably.

We took our beating and asked our buddy up top to break it down and pull the draws.

So, I ask again. Who has actually done this route and what's the grade? Best I can tell, we were shut down BEFORE the actual crux. Granted my grade is based on the first 12 feet and my ego says .12 but for sure it's at least hard .11++++

Signed,

Flat not good enough

Susan,
I think Rhicard drilled this little tester several years ago.
Your right it feels more like hard 5.11 than 11c. I got on this thing several months ago as was begging for mercy on the first few clips.
I did this route years ago and remember feeling that 5.11 was about right.
I wonder if a few holds have snapped off in the first 20 feet.

Jim, get up there and give it a pull. Scott also said he remembered it being "solid 11".

Next time in the area give it a pull...an honest ascent. This route pretty much shut down. If I continued to work it, I would likely would have lost all ability to type for months. And what would MP do then?

Also, I'm curious to see if you head slightly left between the 1st & 2nd bolt or if you use that little notch (which is now chalked to shit) going left, might be slightly easier.

~Susan

Susan,
1st, this isn't the route Eric bolted that's farther right.
I have some memory, or maybe not... I can't remember, of going left at some point down low through the difficult bit. I also remember a very hard scary clip with "ankle buster" written all over it.
It's was also very sharp and painful for the 1st 20 feet or so.
I'm off to Colorado for 6 weeks in a few days but I'll get on this thing again in the fall. I'm curious now.

The route was put up by Scott. I asked him the same series of questions. He claimed solid .11 I claim BS.

Thing is sharp and hard. Maybe I'll join you in the fall so you can show me how it's done.

Have fun in CO.

~S

Those starts are tough, I've been shut down on "Munchkinland" at least 5 times, having onsighted a fair number of other 10d sport routes in the meantime.

I don't know about this route, but on "Munchkinland" being 6'2 like Scott probably helps.

Did this today "ground up without falling". I was the second person on it and flashed it. Thought it was solid 11 could even be hard eleven. Stayed left at the first bolt then moved right on to the big ledge. It is hard from the start until you get on to the ledge.

For me the moves weren't too hard, but figuring out a sequence that worked was a little tricky. My first try I hung at the second and third bolts for a while trying to put together a sequence. Getting up on the bulge and then committing to the gaston move was especially tricky. Knowing the moves, I did it second go pretty easily, but I am fairly tall myself at about 6'2". Like most everything at Munchkinland, I thought this was a fun route.

The route is an eleven. I'm 5'7" and had no trouble after I finally stopped crying and trusted my feet to the smears. Went right over the bulge.

I onsighted it last weekend, and I've never onsighted anything harder than 5.11c so I'd agree with the grade as given. You may want to consider stick clipping the first bolt, or even 2, though. Sloping ground covered in jagged rocks + clipping from smallish holds made it pretty scary at the beginning.