Imaginary Voyage 

Back in the day, Dick Cilly TR'd the offwidth roof crack direct!!! Probably 5.HARD

We went out there Sunday to check it out. Seemed like it would be difficult/awkward to protect the roof move(s). I am wondering if people use a big cam at the lip, and if so, will a #4 camalot work or do you have to bring a #5 up there?

Ran it out.

My recollection of the gear is this - after getting a piece in the horizontal rail (near the lip) you make some cool, airy moves across to the stance with the two bolts and then finish up the wide crack above. You may want a 4" piece (a #5 Camalot will most likely be too large) after the bolts, but if you've made it that far you shouldn't need it as it gets low-angled after a move or two.

Sorry Sewell... never happened. Cilley never tried it.

I tried it on toprope but it was too contrived as you bang into the walls with your head and back and whatnot. Got out a ways and gave up due to the fact you could probaby just chimney the thing. Here is a pic of the TR try.....

fishproducts.com/supertopo/name_it3.jpg

The most memorable route I've done in the monument. Five stars for the novelty value and position.

Chris's gear notes are right on the money. Largest piece we had was a #4 camalot and used that at the beginning of the roof. There's a large slung chockstone at the start of the roof about where we placed the 4, so you could potentially leave the big cams at home.

I placed a 4.5 after the chockstone.

I wonder how people protected this route back in the day (without a big cam)? Did they tie off the chockstone, or just run it out to the lip?

If you can get up the lieback at the start then doing the traverse without pro really shouldn't be much of an issue; the edge is quite positive. However, there's webbing hanging off the chockstone, so why not.

I guess this is a bit more updated beta, but I definitely didn't see a threaded chockstone, much less any chockstone at all. FYI.

The exciting thing on the FA was that we hadn't top roped the thing first and didn't know it it would go or how hard the lip was going to be. So that made it tricky traversing out there with no pro wondering what if anything I might get in out there. That fact that the lower crack is the crux was not imaginable on the FA, the upper b it looked so hard. Go figure . . .

Possibly my favorite 5.10 out there and--Echoing John's comments--also one of my proudest leads. When I cast off on the thing it was a true onsight. I had no beta at all, no idea about the handrail, etc. Really felt like I was going for it on something that looks way more desperate than it is. I too was shocked to find the first 10 feet are the crux...

This is a total circus trick hoot of a climb. I do it every time I visit Jtree for the novelty and to scare the hell out of whomever I am with. Once under the route looking up everyone I have taken refuses to lead it (the first time) even though the crux is in the first 10 feet (you can't see the hand rail so assume you will be offwidthing the roof). Anyone who has not done this route really needs to get on it - totally safe and good protection with unbelievable position. At the final roof you can even get leg jams and hang upside down for a hero shot if you want.