This is the best, and most honest, hand crack in the Morros that is on legally accessible rock. I say that it is honest because you really need to know how to set solid hand and foot jams - there's no faking it like on P-Crack. For me it is both thumbs up and thumbs down jams, but it will depend on the size of your hands. My personal variation is to traverse from the top of the crack over to Out of Hangers and on up to those anchors. It is probably 5.10a to go this way and slightly run out between the routes. Now if only that crack were just a little bit longer...
By Mike Morley Administrator From: Oakland, CA Jan 23, 2005 rating: 5.10c
Traversing right to join P-Crack may be 10a, but climbing straight up to the anchor after the crack peters out (as indicated in the photo) is decidedly difficult and should be considered a very serious undertaking on lead. There is a single bolt above the crack, but the crux occurs a good 20-25' above. The crack itself is perhaps 5.9.
Indeed, to go straight up and out of the Stool Crack is very serious climbing. A good way to go that I am fond of is to trend left after the crack ends to the "Out of Hangers" line and finish up at those anchors. This is probably .10a or so. As Mike indicates, the crack itself is straight-in, 5.9 hands. If done as described above, this is an excellent rock climb.
I felt this route to be burlesque for 5.9. While the crack itself is short, it is full value. And yes, heading straight up to the anchors after clipping the bolt would be very serious. If you popped from high enough up, you would have a one way ticket to splatterville as the slab beneath the crack is low angle.