This route starts as a broken looking crack on the right-hand side of fin 3 of Cadilac Crack, which is the third from the right-most feature. The climb goes up a fissure to a finger crack, and then up that fingercrack past a tree to a belay niche. From there belay. Pitch 2 tackles a bulge and continues to the top in the cracks (maybe 5.9?)
This climb is amoung the easiest climbs of its grade I have ever done.
Protection
This route requires some small gear but not a lot of it. Maybe a few small nuts and a small TCU or Alien. Other than that, a standard rack is good enough to sew up the crack (primarily .5-1.5").
Slightly chossy in places, with a very brief crux. Seems like a 10d move, though it's over quickly. Second pitch would be nice with a little traffic to clean it. The belay area at the top is loaded with precarious rocks ready to fall down into the dihedral - caution or hats advised, and I would steer well clear if another party is up there.
Not the worst route in the world, but if you're at Cadillac and craving some 5.10 crack... you walked just a bit too far up the hill.
By Ken Heiser From: Boulder, CO Jun 8, 2003 rating: 5.9+
I thought this was an okay route.Crux is extremely breif (maybe one move) I could not tell any difference in rating between the first and second pitches. The top of the route is loose rock hell for anyone not being extremely careful.
I did both Morning Thunder and Over the Hill in the last couple of weeks and think both of those routes are harder than this.IMHO if it is even a 5.10 it would barely make 5.10a and only for one very breif move.
This climb is a lot better if you take the variation called Auburn Court, which adds about 35 feet of quality crack climbing and a second crux (and avoids the rubble at the top). We should have listed it as a variation here, but it's posted as a separate route on this site.
This was my second 10 in Eldo. Although the first pitch is a one-move wonder, that move did not seem trivial to me. Wingspan definitely helps in getting the crucial fingerlock. There's a bomber stopper placement for the crux move (I placed a #7 BD stopper).
By Luke Clarke From: Golden Mar 19, 2005 rating: 5.10d
Did P1 of this one today as a *warm up* which didn't quite work, given the howling wind and 40-degree temps that beat us down. I'd call the crux of the first pitch 10 a/b unless you have the super human reach rewquired to get the key fingerlock while standing in the rest pod. I don't so I had to commit to one or two insecure moves before the salvation bucket. Recommend this as a warm up for harder Cadillac routes (Stargate, for instance) on more accommodating days. The crux is easily protected with a nut or cams in the yellow Alien range
By Brent Roaten From: St. Louis, MO Oct 16, 2005 rating: 5.10d
Did this today while waiting for Moonlight Drive to open up and found it to be a worthwhile route. As stated above, the route is definitely a one or two move wonder. The 5.9 dihedrals and roof above are really very good and would get 3 stars anywhere else in the canyon. The huge loose rocks at the top are scary. Definitely worth doing!
Agree with the others: a clear 1 1/2 move wonder. However, still worth doing if you're in the area since the rest of the climb is pleasant if easy. Fell at the crux leading it a few years back -- redeemed myself yesterday. An excellent start/warmup for Stargate.
Regarding the 1.5-move wonder comments, the variation Auburn Court (posted separately on the Cadillac pages) offers quite a few more good moves, making this a much more sustained and interesting route.
This might be stating the obvious, but there's a great kneebar/no hands rest right before the crux of pitch one. I agree with Dougald that Auburn Court is the best way to finish this.
Cadillac Crag
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