This gorgeous line starts to the right of the start of Upper Refuse and Black Lung.
P1- 5.10a- 80'- Climb the dihedral past two pins and traverse under the roof (crux) and up to a two bolt belay ledge on the right hand face.
P2- 5.10a- 120'- Step left off the belay ledge and continue up the crack system until it ends. Traverse left onto a small ledge (crux), and follow over to the top section of upper refuse. Belay from the top of Upper Refuse. If you are not using double ropes, don't place any gear on or after the traverse. If you do, your second could take a nasty swing.
If this is your max difficulty, consider top-roping it first. It has a strange slab move traversing under the roof. The second pitch has and equally strange step down into nothing.
I say grab a good belayer (and double ropes for the second pitch) and just fire it, the gear is good on the 1st pitch crux...and the second pitch crux has good gear, it's just the terror-inducing 5.2 move that ladd made reference to that's a scary one, but it's not hard at all....
By Ladd Raine Administrator From: Plymouth, NH May 11, 2007 rating: 5.10a
Terror inducing indeed... But yes, truly it is barely 5th class
By Ladd Raine Administrator From: Plymouth, NH May 29, 2007 rating: 5.10a
I did this route again this past Saturday 5.26.07
That step down is probably only 4th class, but it does offer a keen pucker. Especially since I ran together the two pitches, and didn't place pro in the undercling like I usually do...oops.
Just took a run up the book yesterday... I noticed 2 interesting things on the 1st pitch...
1: It had been cleaned really well since i had last been on it...
2:There was soooo much chalk on it i felt like i was at Rumney... The Difference is that there are holds at Rumney... Chalk your hands all you want, it wont make your feet stick to a polished slab :)
Just did this route yesterday for the first time. What a great climb. Several people have referenced the step down move as barely 5th class. I assume what they are referring to is the high traverse stepping down the the ledge. I went with the low the traverse and to me that is by far the crux of the pitch.
yeah, whichever way you do it the traverse moves are the second pitch crux... and both ways are fun... next time you should take the high road just to mix things up...
Ps. david, i am surprised you hadnt dont it yet... classic huh?
Every time that I am in North Conway to climb it always rains. The past three days were the best weather I have ever had in North Conway for climbing, and in November, go figure. We shared the entire cliff with 3 or 4 parties.
The Book is a superb climb. My partner did both options while seconding(he asked me to lower him back after doing one) He thought that the high traverse was far easier than the low traverse.
Will have to hope for more good weather next time for Recombeast, Last Unicorn and others.
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