Past the mental crux...physical crux coming up! N...
Description
This is the bolted route that can be toproped from the rappel off the Upper Ramp to the left of Vertigo. I only heard through word of mouth that it was put up by Jack Roberts, I am not sure if this is true. The Vertigo raps are probably the most popular way off the Upper Ramp, and I am willing to bet many have toproped this route from the last rappel anchor. It starts with a right-facing dihedral with a hard .11b move halfway up. The upper portion of the route climbs a gently overhanging bolted headwall that goes at sequential .12a climbing. This is a fun route to toprope, it would be a very scary route to lead.
Protection
The upper portion of this route has bolts, the lower 5.11 dihedral has horrible pro. I was told it was toproped extensively before it was led.
You hit the head on the nail, Pat: scary lead, great toprope, sequential 12a moves. Since it falls right under the rap route it makes a great toprope, as long as there aren't people rapping down above you.
Maybe it's just me, but the moves in the dihedral down low seemed more like 10-, and the headwall more like mid-12. This seems odd since I'm a boulderer, so theoretically the bottom should have felt harder than the top. Either way, that move into the sidepull with your left is pretty cool, and the slopey topout is painfully greasy...mmmm....
WOW! What an amazing route. Definitely could be a little scary through the 11b section, but if you can commit to the moves, it flows so nice! The gear is scarce, but it gave me enough courage to make the moves. (It also helped that I did it a couple of times on TR first.) After passing the mental crux, the movement through the 12a section is one of the coolest sequences I've ever done. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED...as a TR or as a very fulfilling lead (if you are comfortable with a committing runout).
Redgarden - Tower One
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