Fastest Drill 5.9
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| Type: | Sport, 1 pitch, 95 feet |
| Consensus: | 5.9 [details] |
| FA: | Ed Webster, Mack Johnson, Dave Sweet, 4/78 |
| Submitted By: | Brian T. Wandzilak on Jan 2, 2003 |
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Jon Cannon, starting up Fastest Drill.
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Seasonal falcon nesting closures MORE INFO >>>
The East Face of North Gateway is closed to climbers every year from around Feb 1 until early August, depending on when the birds fledge. It's not posted out there, but since the closure has been in effect for 20+ years it is incumbent on climbers to know about closures by stopping in at the visitor center and asking. The falcons always nest in a big pothole above the traverse ledge and below the Kissing Camels arch.
This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund,
and Mountain Project.
You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates.
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Description The route name could also by the "Quickest Drill". Traverse left from the Cowboy Boot Crack ledge to the leftmost line of bolts. It is a long exposed traverse with zero protection. Once you clip the first hanger, head up. The crux is just above the second bolt. It is a balancy step up. Commit to it, clip the third bolt and get to the anchors. This can be top-roped (like Trigger Finger and Cowboy Boot Crack) from the large ledge, barely. The belayer should tie a knot in the end of your rope (as always) and be prepared to step up the rock a bit.
Addendum: follow the first 2 or so pins on Trigger Finger. When TF goes straight up, you can follow Fastest Drill to the left. It shares the same anchors as Unzipped. They are kind of left of center at the bottom of the dome (about even with the climber's feet in the Trigger Finger pic).
Protection 5 QDs for 5 bolts/pins plus two anchor pins (all of them solid).
The anchor pins have been replaced with 2 large bolts.
| Comments on Fastest Drill |
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By Jon Cannon
Jan 10, 2003
| One brief comment: As Brian woefully discovered, the best route is to head *straight* to the left. Don't angle left and up toward the first pin, go straight left and then up to the pin. For the third bolt, ya just gotta commit. A very enjoyable route. And, as much as I hate to admit it, nice lead, Brian. |
By Jon Cannon
Jan 14, 2003
| One other thing: if the belayer anchors into that big-ass rock down on that broad area at the base of Cowboy Boot Crack, s/he *should* be able to arrest the intrepid leader's fall before s/he decks. |
By Brian T. Wandzilak
Apr 30, 2003
| Thanks for the props, JC. It was fairly satisfying I have to admit. I only have one problem with the route though. I am still waiting for a member of the Nebraska contingent to sac up and lead this thing. |
By Brian T. Wandzilak
Oct 10, 2003
| ATTENTION: After further research and guidebook consultation, this route is NOT named "Fastest Drill". The real route name is "Unzipped" and it is in the Falcon guide as a 5.7+. All over the other beta is correct though. Like I said in the route description this is way more run out than a 5.7 should be, but a fun route nonetheless.
For more clarification, here is some beta on the actual "Fastest Drill" route. Fastest Drill follows the first 2 or so pins on Trigger Finger. When TF goes straight up, you can follow Fastest Drill to the left. It shares the same anchors as Unzipped. They are kind of left of center at the bottom of the dome (about even w/ the climber's feet in the Trigger Finger Pic). |
By Larry Shaw
Dec 24, 2003
| For a good TR variation, climb to the second bolt of Unzipped, then head straight up to the last bolt of Fastest Drill...there are some blank sections but enough edges to suffice...I give it a .9 or .10. |
By Bosier Parsons
From: Colorado Springs, CO
May 16, 2008
| If you want, it is possible to place a good cam on the traverse, but hard to say if it would help much anyway. About 1/2". |
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