Northcutt Start 

I love the story of the first free ascent. Ray Northcutt, who must have been strong as an ox since he could do 100 pullups, was incorrectly told that Layton Kor had freed the direct start to the Bastille Crack. Upon learning this, Northcutt went out the next day and fired the line, only later learning that his was indeed the FFA.

I think this is generally acknowledged to be a bona fide 5.11- pitch nowadays, and when you consider that it was nearly a decade later that Ament, et al. were being credited with climbing the "first" 5.11 routes in the U.S., it serves to emphasize Northcutt's achievement on this short route, as well as the powerful impact one's mindset can have on climbing performance.

Free your mind...

Well, if you're wondering what Eldo 11- feels like, try this. I didn't get the route, but I can say, in case you're wondering, that the old ring pin (circa 1959??) will hold. At least, as of this morning it held two pretty good whippers from around the corner (and three smaller ones too!). Yes, I made it past the crux and around onto the 'good' slopers and came off. Nonetheless, this is a beautiful route and it is a shame the first part of it doesn't go on for another 100'.

I find 10d to be a suitable grade, considering the first 30 feet are no harder than 8+, and the crux is so short. Even if the ring pin did pull/break, the pin below it is great and the gear options below that even better (.75 Camalot). Also, I find this pitched linked with P2 of the Bastille into Outer Space to be a good warm up to the X-M/Outer Space link-up: the difficulties are similar, only difference is the quality of gear.

Adendum to the historical note. This was the first 5.10 in Colorado, and very possibly the first in America. Not only was Northcutt sandbagged into doing it in 1959, there wasn't another 5.10 done in Colorado until well into the sixties. I do support the 10d rating. The "trick" is a tiny foot cup stemming right onto the arete, two inches below a small upside down triangular lip.

Great climb!!! Wouldn't consider it to be harder than 10+

What a sweet pitch. Ray Northcutt did a hell of a job.

Well Kreighton, that pin on the traverse still holds a fall. I took one on it today because I'm a dumbass. It's amazing how much harder a move can be when you don't use your head and eyes to find footholds.

I toproped this 2 days ago and pulled it right away. I'm not convinced that I could pull it off as quickly on lead but I'm gonna try! I didn't have any beta on the route and can't see why people find the move so mysterious. It was simply hard on my fingertips. Ouch!

In his mid 70s, Ray still is as strong as an ox. When he shakes your hand he just about breaks it!

The pin at the crux traverse was still good when I fell on it last week...

Amazing climb! Great crack climbing with an exciting finish. If you can't lead it (like me), TR it from Bastille's anchors, very fun.

You can do a variation at the top of the climb. Rather than traverse right at the pin, continue up the ever thinning crack to the anchor. Not much protection for the leader. On a TR it felt about 5.11b.

The pin is still good :-p

I had a question on the route. Can I safely get to the anchors to setup my own top rope? I'm going to be climbing solo and while I have all the logistics setup so I can do that safely (backups to all of my protection), I need to be able to get up to the top anchors for this route without any protection. Can it be done without having to go really far out of my way to get up the rock? Thanks for any help.

Easiest way to get to the anchors is pitch 1 of Bastille Crack. So unless you can free solo 5.7, you can't get to the anchors without protection.

The pin is still good, but doesn't really come into play if you put one of your smallest cams in the pocket a few inches to the left, the pocket isn't really essential for the move. I placed a tiny gray TCU, and it fit easily with space on either side.

I'd say it's all 5.7 to 5.8 except for the crux move. BTW, it CAN be done without the mystery foothold. You just have to place your left foot really high and hang from the sidepull in the dihedral with your left hand while reaching around the corner for a pinky and ring finger lock in the crack. Then grunt and send. This worked for me (but my partner swore it wouldn't 'til I did it:) Might not work if you're short. I'm 5'10"

Feels like 5.11 death if'n you've got fat fingers and can only wrench at most your tips at the crux finger lock.

Oh--and decades later, that pin/ring is still holding leader falls....

The grade isn't really that important to me, but for context this feels harder than the first pitch of Genesis and at least as difficult as the crux on the Northwest Corner.

Fun little route.

Harder to onsight.... Once you fall on the pin once, you get the general idea, and it's relatively easy.

A superb climb, but it is a little spicy cranking the crux above the 2 old, rusty pitons. Old pitons are always good until they're not.