Home - Destinations - iPhone/Android - Gyms - Partners - Forum - Photos - Deals - What's New
 ADVANCED
b. Gelsa to Moe (closure)
 more Dirtbag Deals
Routes Sorted
L to R R to L Alpha
5.8 Crack Climb 
Back to the future 
Bird Cage 
Birdland 
El Camino 
Elder Cleavage Direct 
Farewell to Arms 
Grease Gun Groove 
Lonely Challenge 
Loose Goose 
Moe 
Road Warrior 
Roseland 
Shitface 
Silver Bullet 
To Be Or Not To Be 
Transcontinental Nailway 
Tulip Mussel Garden 
Up Yours 
Yum Yum Yab Yum 

Grease Gun Groove 

5.6

   
1,862 page views
Good page?   

Type: Trad, 80 feet
Consensus: 5.6 [details]
FA: Gary Hemming, Art Gran, Roger Chorley, 1958
Submitted By: John Peterson on Mar 11, 2006

You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (44)
Your todo list:
Your stars:
Your rating: -none- [change]
Your ticklist: [add new tick]

BETA PHOTO: Grease Gun Groove

Add Photo  Add Comment    Printer View

Description 

An excellent 5.6 pitch that marks the left edge of the "classic" area of the Nears. Beyond this the rock quality drops dramatically.

Start about 100' left of Birdland, at a slabby left-facing corner.

P1: Make a tough bouldery move into the corner. Continue up the corner, go right under a roof, and climb a steep wall capped by a small roof (pin) to a tree with a rap anchor. Good climbing all the way up. 5.6, 80'.

There is a second pitch but I've never done it or seen anyone on it.


Protection 

Standard Gunks rack



Photos of Grease Gun Groove Slideshow Add Photo
First few moves of the climb.

BETA PHOTO: First few moves of the climb.

further up on P1

BETA PHOTO: further up on P1

starting up

starting up

a nice view of the 5.8 crack/roof variation...

a nice view of the 5.8 crack/roof variation...

Mark Mooradian nearing the top of the first pitch.

Mark Mooradian nearing the top of the first pitch.


Comments on Grease Gun Groove Add Comment
Show which comments
By jeremyadams
Jan 5, 2007

The second pitch is a safari. I gave it a go one time and found myself pulling on vegetation while my feet were skittering off dirty holds. It's too bad, really, because the rock was not awful, although the moves are not particularly memorable.

By monk
Jul 17, 2008

There's an interesting roof variation to GGG. The variation can be seen from the ground. About 3/4 the way up to the top, to the left of the regular route, you will see a roof with a crack. Traverse over to the roof and pull it at the crack. This variation is not in my (Swain) guidebook. It is well protected and goes at about 8+.

One word of warning. I told a friend about the variation and he warned me about a possible loose block up there. I don't remember any questionable rock.

By JSH
Administrator
Jul 20, 2008

There is indeed a loose block above - as in, you're standing just after having pulled - the crux roof. It's fairly loose, but fairly obviously loose. You'll want to place pro to protect follower(s) climbing through the roof, so take care to place it well above the loose block and you'll be fine.

By gblauer
From: Wayne, PA
Jul 27, 2008

The first pitch is fun, with the crux move right off the ground. The gear is great, the moves even better. I found the second pitch fun as well. It's not too well traveled, so beware of grassy ledges, lichen etc.

By Spiro
Oct 10, 2008
rating: 5.6

stop at the first pitch, second pitch is a safari.

By Mark Roth
From: Boulder
Apr 7, 2011

There is a fun 5.11 variation a few feet right of the start. Might as well top rope it while you are here... Really just a tall boulder problem, and being tall is also helpful.

By Neil Steinert
From: New Egypt, NJ
Jun 17, 2012
rating: 5.6

I liked the 2nd pitch (it is grassy with lichen). The first pitch is better and more cruxy in my opinion.