Jeff Arliss pulling the first roof on Feast of Foo...
Description
Feast of Fools begins near the same corner and roof system of Nurse's Aid and Hans' Puss.
P1: Begin just right of the start of Hans' Puss (the rightmost, steepest corner). Climb this ever-steepening corner system until you reach the first of several roofs. Pull this roof and step left to a rest. Pull the second roof into an overhung corner protected by a pair of fixed pins. Creative stemming and reaches will get you to easier terrain (joining with Hans' Puss here) which is followed around the corner of the buttress to the right and belay at two bolts. A great pitch. 5.10b, 75'.
P2: Not really worthwhile -- the crux section (a few moves of 9++) are cool, but the pitch doesn't get a lot of traffic and isn't that good. Head up off the belay to the small roof band above. Breach the roof with fingerlocks into a narrow, left-facing corner. Belay at an oak tree on the GT ledge. 5.10a, 70'.
Josh's description of P1 is a little misleading. It sounds like you hand traverse right at the first roof and around the corner. Actually. You hand traverse right a few moves (too far right is cheating), pull the roof then angle left on steep and poorly protected rock to small ceiling leading into an inside corner. Getting into that corner is the real crux, and is very awkward. Above this is another bulge at which you traverse straight right to the belay. The photo of Rich Goldstone above the first roof makes this all clear.
Josh also doesn't mention the third, easier pitch from the GT ledge to the top.
Sorry Ivan, after doing a zillion Gunks routes in the course of a year, my memory is hazy. Your photos bring it back though, and I edited the description accordingly.
This is a great tough lead and placing gear is very pumpy. I wouldn't leave my #4 Camalot on the ground...? Watch out for the pins at the crux; they're junk. One is definitely better then the other, but still junk.
P2 doesn't see much traffic, but is absolutely clean, nice and technical. The short corner tests different skills than the first pitch and is well worth of climbing. The beginning of the corner is protected nicely by nuts, then it is a small runout until the 9ish moves are over. The lower angle face below the corner is where you land if you fall. Not a bad fall, but be ready not to sprain your ankles needlessly (still, it IS a PG).
By Paul Hunnicutt From: Boulder, CO May 1, 2008 rating: 5.10b
I used two small cams - green and yellow alien, then also a .4 BD below the first roof. I got a solid #3 BD below the crap pins...a #4 would certainly work and offer more possible placements, but one #3 seemed sufficient for this route.
I seconded both pitches. P1 is sustained and pumpy, but, the holds are great and even this shorty had little difficulty pulling the roofs. P2 is more technical but equally entertaining. Although short, it is a good pitch.