Drew Cummings, running up Goliath reviewing beta. ...
Description
An amazing line. Start up Golden Stairs and continue up arete. Pass through some technical moves on the arete to a decent rest. Rest up and continue up to the mid anchor then fight the pump through the overhang, another decent but strenuous rest can be had here. Move past the overhang and onto the arete and pull the crux moves to get established on the finishing slab. The crux moves while only V3+ or so, feel much more difficult after all that climbing to get there. To the mid anchors is David 12c a great route on it's own.
Location
Shares start with Golden stairs, between Medusa and Ripped Van Winkle
Protection
17 bolts + Anchors. For rope drag unclip the first 3 bolts on starting slab, and use long draws on mid anchor and the next 2 bolts. A 70m rope is mandatory to lower off without using the mid-anchors.
By Monomaniac Administrator From: Morrison, CO Dec 10, 2006 rating: 5.13a
This is easily the best sport climb in New Mexico. This is the sort of route that makes you want to get better, just so that you can climb this route. If you dislike rope drag, its useful to bring some long slings. One for the midway anchor and two for the first bolts after the midway anchor. These bolts are somewhat off the natural climbing line, but with long slings, you can clip them with having to do any extra moves.
It might be the most aesthetic line in the southwest. It is also a great climb with a little of everything but jams.
By Monomaniac Administrator From: Morrison, CO Jul 10, 2007 rating: 5.13a
I noticed that DTP's description (and other guidbooks) indicate its 12c to the first anchor. I always felt like that was a pretty light-duty 12c, but I did it many, many times, so I had it ruthlessly wired. Anyway, I bring it up because I'm really bored and hoping to stir up some controversy. I think its more like 12b.
Hmm, since I feel like killing time as well. I went with 12c for the first pitch because I felt that for the onsight it was harder than Shipwrecked. While the moves aren't that difficult, the sequence and holds were tough for me to figure out, where shipwrecked is more straight forward pulling. Maybe I was just climbing better / better conditions when I onsighted Shipwrecked, then the weekend I worked on Goliath.
I also heard that something broke off the arete, leaving a better foothold for the crux, in recent years. But I was never on it before this occurred.
I think the 1/2 pitch to Mad Hatter is easier than the 12c listed in the guide (12b) and the 1/2 pitch for Zee Wicked is harder than the 11c listed in the guide (12a).
Yeah, at the "crux" of the lower half a little plate broke off the arete leaving a half-inch horizontal edge where there used to be just a smear. I had done the route many, many times before this happend and even after having it ruthlessly wired, this change made it feel quite a bit easier
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