This often photographed arete ascends one of the tallest boulders in the country, and is a classic buttermilking experience not to be missed.
Start on the face about 10 feet right of the arete, then trend left to the arete and up to an airy perch. Move right following the lip patina to a memorable rock-over with about 35 feet of air under you.
Now find your way down the backside (more or less North east).
Location
Think about the name folks. On the Grandma Peabody.
Protection
There are top-rope anchors if you want. But, the access is a 45 foot 5.6 slab on the other side. Also the down-climb.
Because we're dealing with something usually climbed as an onsight freesolo, I feel obligated to throw my opinion into the mix and say that rating this route 5.8+ is a sandbag. The consensus of 5.9+ seems quite fair, but I will add that going up this with a mindset of 5.10- will make it seem easier and much more fun.
Oh, and do you see the spots where patina plates have pulled out? Think about those before yarding fast and desperate on the ones at the rock-over finish. (I was once a stupid youth who put too much stock in what everyone else said, and at the time I would've hopped on this route with a very different 5.8 experience in mind; I speak to such people here.)
Grandma Peabody Boulder
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