This route is located on the lower portion of Secret Crag in the section that has the obvious, right-leaning dihedrals and the brighter, red-colored rock. This route follows the rightmost dihedral to the lip of the overhang.
Start off the ledge by the tree, surmount the initial bulge and go straight up instead of left (another route). Really nice face climbing wanders back and forth heading for the dihedral above. Although it appears that the dihedral will provide a break, the climbing only gets harder. Long reaches from small holds keep the difficulty up all the way to the roof. 12 or 13 clips in all.
The story: A string of bad luck will probably keep me from ever going back there despite this being a great area and route. It all started when I was putting the route in. Unable to get the bolts in on the first day I left a rope fixed overnight. Although I secured it well the winds rubbed a gobi right in the middle of the rope. The next time up with a whole crew I had my foot slip into the snow while stepping over a large dead tree. Feeling a scratch in my calf from a jagged broken branch I looked back glad to see that I didn't tear my new fleece pants, so I kept walking up the hill. Once at the base of the route I decided to take a look at my leg. Pulling up my pant leg revealed a 3" square section of my calf muscle, not a pretty sight. With help from will, Chris and Brian I hobbled out and was off to the ER. Climbing day ruined and 22 stitches.
The next time it was even worse. After lowering off the route and past the sloping ledge to the ground I set a top-rope belay for my partner. I walked back uphill a short distance to a flat spot to belay. A combination of factors when Todd fell, including funky rope dynamics, using a revolver on the top point to reduce drag, and who knows what else lifted me off the ground and swung me past the part of the wall that was only a few feet away slamming me into the wall 60 feet or so away. This time it was a shattered heel. Mostly crawling and with help from Todd, Dan & Dana I got back to the car and was off to the ER again (my wife was really becoming annoyed at this point). My son, now all to familiar with this drill could only fret about the early end to another snowboard season on the way to the hospital. After surgery, a blood clot, a few days in the hospital, 4 months on crutches, learning to walk again, and plenty of pain killers most of the 2008 season went down the tubes. I hope that everyone else who goes up there has better luck than me.... It's really no fun being the king of pain.
You walked. I think Buster was along also that day? You were still cleaning the route before I tried it. I think you got hurt the first time shortly after this.
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