Gonzo 

Led the first pitch today....short but FUN!!!!!! The second pitch is just as fun in a wide crack sorta way....I give it 3 stars, way cool route.

I also led the first pitch yesterday. I thought it was a lot of fun. Just wish it was longer. The second pitch was also well worth finishing.

I did this route this morning and after comparing the picture of V3, which shows this route, to what I saw today, I have one question. Who is/are the prick(s) who are trying to kill that little tree at the belay? You really suck and should take a rusty razor blade to your wrist. That little tree barely had anything green on it.

Good route.

And yet another cool route in an area that does not see too much traffic. I climbed this in the fall and saw two other people there on a warm and sunny saturday afternoon. One should check out the boulder that is adjacent to the parking area...Shane

Fun climb. Nice to have the crag to ourselves on a busy Saturday afternoon in Eldo. This climb can be done in one pitch with a 60M rope, but I don't recommend doing that unless you are a fan of rope drag. To me, the awkward, slanting crack on p2 (5.7 in Rossiter's guide) felt harder than the nice finger crack on pitch 1. The scramble off is obvious and easy.

The first pitch felt easy for an Eldo 5.8. There is really only one hard move - and the gear is great for the whole pitch (it might be easier for fat-fingered crack heads). The second pitch felt harder because it is more sustained. At least 2 #3 Camalots for the second pitch as it is sustained at that size. I don't think you need 2 #1 Friends for the first pitch - there are some bomber nut placements and you only need 1 or 2 small cams for the lower section and a couple in the roof, we had green-red Aliens and were fine. Fun climb.

casey bernal

Did this today and agree with Brice W. that P2 (7) crack up high felt harder,more sustained, than the P1 crack at (8). Used arm bars in the wide crack up there, as there are no obvious holds to reach for and shakey stances for (7) climbing on P2. Nonetheless, a good route. I didn't like the looks of the start to the left of the boulder, so I opted for the same start as V3, to the right of the boulder. Once on top of this large rock, you can gain the Gonzo crack by traversing the top of the boulder and stepping across a void. I felt this protected better and was a fun start.

A great route with two very distinct pitches. The finger crack under the traversing roof of pitch one looks a lot thinner from the ground than it really is and allows for some solid jams. The second pitch is sustained and by the end (at least for me) the crack was even to wide for a solid arm jam. Fun route though. If the approach was roadside it would be climbed everyday.

watch for a really loose block in the crack on p. 2. there is chalk all over the top as testimony that people have pulled here before, but when you jam between the block and wall of the crack you move the block. After realizing how loose it was, i went out left around it, and that seemed harder than if you pulled on the block for sure, but id hate to rip it out on myself, get hurt, and ruin some poor bastard's day below.Contrary to this web site, i thought gonzo was nicer than V3.

You can get away with a single set of cam's for both pitches, if you bring hex's. The crack sucks them right off your rack.

Don't even need the hexs. Just bring finger and big hand-sized cams. Don't even really worry about bringing the mid-size cams. Also, make your anchor immediately after the traverse so you aren't inclined to use the little tree as a belayer's personal anchor. No telling how long that thing will support people.A fun alternative to the walk-off and/or rapping: Walk north approximately 30' to a large downed pine tree. Downclimb the limbs of the dead tree, carefully placing feet on the limbs as close to the trunk as possible. Gets you RIGHT down to the bottom and a rather fun option as well!~Wm

I followed P1 and thought it was fun. I led P2 and thought it was horrid. The leaning crack made the entire pitch really uncomfortable and harder than most of the 5.8s that I've done. There are no rests and not much for feet. In one section the crack becomes too large for jamming adding to the spice. It looks to me like you have to do P2, I didn't see a way to retreat as some of the comments might suggest. I would love to lead P1 but I felt P2 was really awful. I probably won't climb this one again anytime soon. -jason

The first pitch of this one is great, the crux feels spicy but protects very well with a red alien. I agree with the 5.8 rating, however compared to V3 (which is also a great route) this route is more difficult technically IMO. In short, take the hike (which is nothing compared to many approaches) and loose the crowds. enjoy!

Did this route last weekend. I did the whole route in one pitch with no rope drag. I placed about 4 pieces o n the lower section and [found] that it was actually easier than the upper section. [Definitely] bring more than one 3 if you want protect it well. I had one 3 and had to run it out quite a bit. Also, at the beginning of the 2nd pitch there is a large loose block wedge in the crack. There is a chalk X marked on it. This block wobbles and is really loose. I had to climb around it making hte climb a little harder than usual. Give it a try and do it in one pitch. Spare the baby tree:)

Great climb! I have one friend who loves it; one who hates it. Go figure! The moves on the first pitch crux are fun to execute and protect well with a red Alien (I think someone else mentioned that and they were right on). The second pitch offers some stellar hand and fist jams, along with some arm bars. For a (7) pitch, it's sustained with no comfortable rests for a good 15-foot portion toward the end. Just keep moving. Don't burn your big gear early, if you can help it. Three stars.

The BIG loose block/flake is still there-lookout! You may want a good directional on P1 at the top of the block and right at the bottom of the crack. Your belayer is about 30' from you horizontally at this point.

P1: The hard part is short (15-20') culminating in a classic tricky Eldo move to get out of the corner onto the first big ledge. P2: Felt very insecure for a non-crack climber -- I felt more secure leading P1 than following P2. My partner basically used 2 pieces on P2. Hand-sized cam about 10-15' above the belay and then an old blue Camalot (#3 or 4?) that he kept sliding all the way up the crack until almost at the top.

Climbed 10.6.2007 with S. Costello. Tried this earlier this spring as one pitch and ran out of large pro on the wide 5.7. I would recommend doing the route as two short pitches 1) to avoid a lot of rope drag and 2) have a full rack of big pieces for the second pitch.

Second pitch is especially cool--plenty of arm-jams but scanty feet in places.

There is a great deal of choss at the top of the route--be VERY careful. On my earlier attempt, I managed to knock off a piece and gash the hand of a woman on the ground--if you're reading this, my sincere apology!