Cro-Magnon 5.10
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| Type: | Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 50 feet |
| Consensus: | 5.10b/c [details] |
| FA: | Steve Arsenault |
| Submitted By: | tscupp on Mar 23, 2008 |
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Kneebarring to end the boulder problem start. Her...
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Description Awesome and pumpy. This is the inviting, vertical hand crack that starts up the tallest portion of the wall but arches left to end the journey early.
The start is guarded by a steep boulder problem without pro leading to a pod with a shiny silver bolt on what looks like a chockstone about 15 feet up. There are three variations to this start, but most people opt to enter from the right on big, chalked holds. After clipping the bolt (gear can easily substitute), move up on a few slopey holds before hitting the jams. What's great about this climb is the variety of jams ranging mixing fingers, hands, fists, and even a little OW to gain a good rest, but the choice remains mostly yours as several sizes are often available depending on what suits you. If you can fight off the pump long enough, one hard move starting the leftward traverse marks the end of the difficult climbing which ends as the crack turns the corner. If, TR'ing, you can end here or finish up on Green Corner or try the arete above.
Though the climb has always been dry when I've seen it even when others are soaking, the crack and face tend to be a little dirty, so either bring a brush or find solid jams because they may slide out unexpectedly. If you can lead 5.10, you gotta get on this.
Location This is the obvious vertical hand crack on the tallest part of the wall that varies in size and arches left about halfway up the wall. Chalked jugs in the alcove below mark the easiest sequence through the start.
Protection 1 QD which is a recommended stick clip unless you are confident on the bouldery start leading to mostly mid-sized cams and nuts possible. Because of the variety of sizes, you can really use a wide range of cams though having extra hand-sized pieces will make placing gear quicker higher up.
BETA PHOTO: The entire crack.
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Tucked into the high rest before the tough finish.
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By Bjorn
From: Near Joshua Tree
Jun 24, 2008
| FA is Steve Arsenault. |
By AlexT
From: NH
Sep 22, 2008
| There is an anchor just to the left of the traverse, for those of you who are leading this beauty. You may mantel just left of the final piton if you wish, just step left after the mantel and the anchor is right below you. |
By Ryan Curry
Oct 18, 2008
| A cruddy anchor detracts from what is otherwise a beautiful route. As of 10/08 the anchor consisted of 3 or 4 pitons of questionable integrity equalized with an aging piece of webbing. I ended up climbing up Green Corner to the top and building a natural anchor.
I found other anchors in the area equally dubious (the Intertwine anchor, for example). Cro- Mag is a magnificent piece of climbing, though. A wee bit bold to the first bolt, then enjoyably pumpy climbing to a pin protected leftwards traverse that gets the heart rate up. Simply put: awesome. |
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