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Fine Line 

5.9

   

FA: 
Type: Trad, TR
Consensus: 5.10a/b [details]
Length: 1 pitch, 80 feet
Views: 809 page views

Submitted By: Guy Humphrey on Sep 8, 2002


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Mike Morley leading the upper section of the route...


Description 

This line is found in the Cirque of the Cracks area high on the West Ridge. It is located to the left of "Handcrack" 5.10b and right below the tree rappel. The trees, loose blocks, and blocky nature of the route detracts from its quality, but makes for a fun TR after climbing one of the better routes nearby.


Protection 

SR to 2 inches



Photos of Fine Line Slideshow Add Photo
Dave heading up the route.

Dave heading up the route.

Fun climbing in February

Fun climbing in February

Mark raps down Fine Line at the end of a long day climbing great cracks in Eldo

Mark raps down Fine Line at the end of a long day ...


Comments on Fine Line Add Comment
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By Shane Z
From: Colorado
Jan 22, 2003

And a Fine Line it is. The crux is pulling around the dihedral above the ledge. Small gear protects this thing.

By Scott Conner
From: Lyons, CO
Feb 2, 2003
rating: 5.12d

The route seemed solid to me and I thought the moves were interesting around the one small tree. Worth doing if you're in the area.

By Mike Morley
Administrator
From: Oakland, CA
Mar 11, 2003
rating: 5.9

Does the route Zap Snack exist? It's supposed to be between Duh Dihedral and Fine Line.

[In regard to Fine Line] Better than it looks from the ground.

Scott, I'm assuming the 12d posting was a typo. Either that or you were WAY off route!!

By Tony B
From: Boulder, CO
Mar 12, 2003

Yes, Zap Snack exists. It's a "squeeze in", intermittent seam, but it's there. I recall a short ledge fall potential 1/2 way up it, so be careful if you lead it.

By Kevin Currigan
From: Lakewood
Mar 29, 2005

Pretty nice route; a 50m rope will get you to the ground from the bolts just to the right of the route.

By Jason Shatek
May 8, 2005

I would highly suggest this route. The gear looks thin from the bottom but I was able to sew it up pretty well. The first 30-40 feet is steep climbing on big jugs, lots-o-fun. The crux comes right after a large ledge. You can place a really bomber mid size stopper before commting to the 9 moves but you are forced to climb above your piece with the potential to hit the ledge. However, after doing 1 or 2 5.9 moves your through the crux and there are rap bolts at the top. A very good climb that I highly recommend.

By Steve Levin
From: Boulder, CO
Jan 12, 2007

Zap Snack climbs Fine Line to the small ledge (FA belayed here), then moves right to climb the steep upper dihedral of Terminal Velocity. It predates both of those routes.

By Tony B
From: Boulder, CO
Jan 12, 2007

Steve,
Looks like I did something else then. Go check out the little seam left of T.V. and F.L. and tell me what you think of that. I lead 2 different seams there in 1996 and noted one of them as "sqeezed." It was pretty runout. The crux was a ledge fall. I said it was hard and tricky. Mark couldn't do the moves and said he thought it was "harder than that." I asked "harder than what?" and he replied "I don't know, but harder than you think."
So yeah, it would be a sandbag for 5.10a too.