Double Crack 

WOW! Amazingly sustained. No move is harder than 5.8, but no move is easier than 5.7. I used every draw, sling and spare biner I had on me (even my prussik cord). Lots of medium to large cams, up to #4, maybe even #4.5. No real small cams needed. Milk the rests on the ledge and in alcoves, cause it's all vertical.

Big nuts and hexes protect the route nicely. There are few small ledges and stances on which it is possible to rest a bit if you are pumped.

If you don't have double ropes and are feeling a little daring, there is a sketchy chockstone with a sling and rap rings on it that I used today. I made it down safe, and it seemed relatively bomber. I would say use at your own risk/discretion. Ps -- awesome awesome awesome climb.

The part after the optional belay (second pitch) stays wet couple of days after rain. Not that it makes it unpassable, but definitely adds some spice.

If you are worried about having your second hit the deck down low due to rope stretch, then have the second squat a few times before climbing and take in the slack. If you do that, you don't have to worry about them decking.

super climb for the grade. will test your pump clock. Takes gear well.

a lot better, a lot longer, and somewhat harder than it looks. a really good route for the grade.

I climbed Double Crack last Wednesday, and the tat anchor 2/3 of the way up on a chockstone is still there. It is seriously sketchy-- I touched the chockstone and it moved. Someone should cut this anchor.

The route is staggering. One of the very best at the grade. The crux is in the first 20-30 feet, which is a little scary, but there's pro everywhere, it may be a little strenuous to place it if this route is at your limit. I found it eased off after the early crux, and there are several rest stances, but it does keep coming at you and it is steep throughout. The pump factor makes it seem harder than it is towards the top.

Don't be fooled by the name - only the lower crux has some quality crack moves, the rest is burly chin-ups all the way up. Good climb for the start of the season, while your arms are still strong from ice climbing.

One small correction to the descent info - if you have only a single rope, you can walk straight over (climber's left) to the High E rap line. You're already at the GT ledge at the top of Double Crack, so you'll have only two one-rope rappels to do. I've done this several times.

Best, though, I think, is to lead it with double ropes and rap. To complete the day, do what we did yesterday - walk over to Modern Times next!

This route is indeed sustained. Yes, there are a few nice rest ledges/alcoves - take advantage of them when you can as the pump factor is high. Not a crack climb, but still protects well and will keep your attention from ground to top-out!

This climb is like the 5.8 twin sister of double-issima - same aspect of a similar massive buttress, and the same sustained climbing that keeps you engaged from bottom to top. Insanely well protected - I'd call it G- if there were such a thing - as such it's a great climb for someone looking to push the grade. Finally, I pity the foo' who does this awesome climb in two pitches.

When rapping down from the top, two 50m ropes will get you to the bottom. With only one rope, you can rap off far to the climber's left of the rap station and catch the intermediate chock stone rap station on the way down (you'll see it on your way up. An alternative would be to stop the climb at this rap station and rap to the ground in one throw with a 60m rope). If you accidentally rap off the top to the climber's right, you can end up a solid 20 yards to the right side of the rap station, and (like me today) have a wee struggle traversing back to the intermediate rap station.

There is a two nut+cordelette intermediate belay/rap with a locking biner on it. I recall it being about half way up and in a small right facing corner. Seems good enough for what it is. Better to do this all in one pitch (bring lots of slings!) though and use the High E rap or double rope rap.

Another Gunks sandbag in my opinion. The bottom 20' is probably 5.9. There is a perfectly good belay ledge part way up; back in the day, everyone stopped and belayed there. If there is concern about the second having trouble, then the belay should be at that ledge, since there will be a lot less rope stretch and communication will be possible. It is very hard to communicate from the top.

I've cut the tat off that chockstone a few times and will continue to do so if I happen to be there and am and following the route. There's absolutely no reason for a fixed cordelette and locker at the belay stance either; that should be cut down as well. Keep the route as clean and natural as possible fer god's sake.

As for descents with a single rope, much closer than High E is the Silly Chimney, and you don't have to climb up a pile of choss to get to it. You can walk straight left over to the top of Silly Chimney from the top of Double Crack. It is easy to downclimb Silly Chimney unroped, although very few people do that any more. There is now a rap station on some trees just climber's left of the chimney.

Historical note: Dave Craft and I made what was, I'm pretty sure, the first all-nut ascent in the Gunks on Double Crack in 1967, using what would now be considered a very primitive set of pre-Chouinard nuts ordered from Joe Brown.

awesome, awesome climb! I would say large cams are unnecessary. I used one #3 and that was it. Nuts are great on the first half of the climb. Very pumpy, very sustained. Harder than alot of 5.9s in the surrounding area. G all the way. Utilize the rests. The crux for me was the O.W. section but that may have more to do with my lacking skill set

Awesome fun climb. The 5.8 crux is pretty early on. The rest is steady 5.7 moves with tons of options for holds and pro. We had a single 70m rope and were able to make a diagonal rap to climbers' right and downclimb a 15ft corner to the ground.

Unlike alot of 1 move wonders at the Gunks, this climb goes the distance. Great climb that eats pro and offers a great intro into vertical face climbing at the Gunks.