A fun route up a beautiful face with a short approach. This is the easier version of The Flakes but is a bit more runout to start. It shares the same, delicate, balancy crux. Windy days can make this spooky for the inexperienced second, says my wife.
Begin to the R of some boulders up the boulder field above the large cement slab by the river. This is just R of C'est La Vie and L of the bench between Whale's Tail and Redgarden Wall. It is a few feet R of The Flakes.
There is little opportunity for clean protection on the first bit of this climb. Climb up and then on a diagonal ramp to the L. Find a pin. Move up on good face holds toward a crack. Find good pro along this crack with wires and small-medium cams. The crack fades and you clip a bolt. Climb past this through a brief crux requiring more balance and finesse than power to a undercling. Place a #3 or #3 1/2 Friend to protect your second or risk a whopping screamer if your second peels above the bolt. Traverse about 25 feet L on a sloping ledge to the 2 bolt anchor. 140 feet of fun climbing.
Thankfully, the anchor has been improved with 2 modern bolts in solid rock in 2000 by ACE and the FHRC. It used to be a pin behind a hollow flake with a bashie that just made you wonder. Note, it is 30m to the level of scrambling off. Pay attention when you get to the end of your ropes since you do not reach walking ground with a single 60m rope.
Gary Stetler notes that the Ericson guide rated this 5.7. Hey, but that's the same gifted author who put up, via on sight solo, Blind Faith and thought it was 5.9.
Protection
Eldo rack, wires, cams to 3 1/2 inches. Single 60m rope is nice to rap.
This is indeed a nice route. At first it looked contrived with a long traverse, but it's a pretty direct diagonal line. Rossiter says it's 150 feet to the anchors, but it was exactly half of my 60m bicolor rope. You can get some big cams in the #3/blue Camalot range on the ramp traverse if you feel the need. After the bolt, to protect the second you can use a big cam as described above or a #1 red/Camalot. A 60m rope gets you to the ground if you diagonal right across blocks at the bottom. This leaves you about 20 feet below where you started.
This is a surprisingly good climb. Also, it doesn't look like it sees much traffic. We found the moves after the initial ramp interesting and fun. The crux is short and well protected by a bolt. New 5.9 leaders or someone looking to get into the grade would most likely feel right at home here. Just protect the second at the top, like Leo and Ivan say. Well worth doing...
Rossiter calls it 5.9- which I thought was pretty close. Though it's more delicate/technical than powerful.
By Ron Olsen Administrator From: Boulder, CO Sep 4, 2003 rating: 5.8-
I have a hard time calling the move past the bolt 5.9.It's one delicate step up move, easier thanthe difficult moves on Mescaline, which is rated 5.7, and way easier than the 5.9 move on the first pitch of C'est La Vie.I'd call the move 5.7 to 5.8; Erickson had it right.
This is such a great climb to do after work since the approach is short and easy. There are definately some 5.8's that are much harder than this route; however, I think it deserves the 5.9- because gear is a bit tricky...not hard, just tricky. I am just starting to lead 5.9's and found this to be comfortable yet still a challenge. It made me think. I only wish the route was twice as long. It ends too soon. Does anyone know if there is a second pitch above this route?
For a nice second pitch, step left around the corner and climb the 5.8 crack on the right side of the open book that makes up C'est la Vie's second pitch. Very nice and ends at a two coldshut anchor. Rap C'est la Vie.
We had three people climbing yesterday and a 70m rope. The second was able to tie into the middle of the rope and the third at the end. Then we were able to rap to the ground with the 70 and did not have to worry about the down climb like when you rap with a 60.
More fun and steeper than it looks from the start. Definitely on the easier side of 5.9 but still requires thought and some confidence on the lead. A very nice route.
Redgarden - S Buttress
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