Pratt's Crack 5.9
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| Type: | Trad, 1 pitch, 165 feet |
| Consensus: | 5.9 [details] |
| FA: | Chuck Pratt, Bob Swift, early 1970's |
| Season: | spring/summer/fall |
| Submitted By: | Adam Winters on May 6, 2007 |
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Mitch Musci on/in 'Pratt's Crack' 5.9 OW
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Description Ridicu-classic and surprisingly secure. A long and beautiful offwidth in a giant clean-cut dihedral. This is one of the most obvious lines in the canyon. If you're up for a good grovel then hop on. During colder months, hit this early in the morning as it dips into the shade around noon, maybe earlier. In fact you may not see it at all. Tends to be a windy canyon. Two 60 meter ropes to rappel.
Location You can see the route from the road on the left side of the two giant dihedrals. "Pratt's" splits the classic white Sierra granite on the right and the dark patina wall on the left. Hard to miss!
Protection Gear to 10", small TCU's useful deep in the secondary crack, BIG camalots and friends (#6), up to blue big bro (but not necessary), and chockstones. Bolt anchor.
BETA PHOTO: Pratt's Crack, 5.9
| Mitch Musci starting up 'Pratt's Crack'
| Mitch Musci high on 'Pratt's Crack'
| The party before us... We were jealous of their V...
| Racked and ready.
| Who needs the crack with face holds like these?
| Halfway up.
| Pratt's Crack
| HMo and Lulu on the belay
| bring blue big bros...
| Starting up Pratt's Crack
| Nice stemming on Pratt's Crack!
| More stemming on Pratt's Crack!
| The climber on the left is gaining on the climber ...
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| Comments on Pratt's Crack |
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By outdooreric From: Lyons, CO Jul 12, 2007
| A blue big bro (10") could be useful if you have one (I did not), as there is a 15 foot section that is bigger than the green one(8"). Only a single set of cams is necessary as you can walk a #6 friend up most of the way. |
By DJ Reyes From: Northern Nevada Feb 13, 2009
| There is a second pitch which I thought was a little harder than the first pitch. It is also quite memorable. There are rappel anchors on the top. |
By Jay Eggleston From: Littleton Aug 5, 2009
| A really fun climb and much easier than it looks. There are lots of face holds and features on the edge of the crack. It really is not your typical off-width grovel. |
By Luke Stefurak From: Mountain View, CA Sep 21, 2009
| Despite the large size very little gear is needed for this route. I suggest 1 #6 C4 and 1 #5 C4 (or same sized friends) and then 2-3 finger size pieces (yellow and grey aliens). Also bring many slings and/or quickdraws for chockstones. A second #6 and #5 could be brought but you really just push the #6 above you until the crack gets too big (8" -10") then you just squeeze in until it thins down again! |
By Jonathan Clark From: Philadelphia, PA Sep 12, 2011
| The climb can be adequately protected without the big gear by slinging chockstones and plugging small cams on the wall to the left. I didn't place anything larger than a #2 or #3 camalot. |
By Richard Shore Jun 11, 2012
| +1 Jonathans recommendation above. I brought two #3 camalots for the beginning (placed deep), slung 3 or 4 chockstones, and a few yellow aliens for up high. Unless you have some BigBros, plan on running it out 30' or so up to the chains. The climbing is not at grade through this section, as the right wall has many juggy face features. |
By Michael Ybarra From: on the road Jun 18, 2012
| I found big gear of very little use. Low on the route there's a pod deep in the crack that takes a #4 (or probably something else on the side), which I was glad to place between the slung chockstones. Any place I tried to use a #6 it was so tipped out that I wouldn't have dared to fall on it. The only secure place for it was to protect the exit moves, which were easy and by that time I was runout 25 feet anyway. A #5 is useless. The small crack on the left wall that others have mentioned is a looong way up. It took a gold C3 and a little higher a bomber red C4, which I thought was the Jesus piece of the whole route. The above is all the gear I used. Slinging chocks is really what this climb is all about. |
By JMo From: Flagstaff, AZ Sep 4, 2012 rating: 5.9
| STELLAR!!! But... I cannot imagine how you could say a #6 BD is tipped out on this route??? I walked mine for a good 50 feet. Actually took 2, cause I like pro. Used them both, heavily. Seriously, what route were you on???? Yes after 50 of about 150 feet, you're done w the 6's....so they don't work? 50 feet of stout 5.9 off width, off the deck, is a good place to pay attention. Also there is a great 5 if you look for it. And yes at least 4 chockstones to sling. But again this route is loooong, and frankly I thought the much-praised gear on the left was tricky and not at all inspiring- that crack is quite shallow. So for those who want a gear list that will sew this up nicely: 2 #6's, 1 #5, 1-2 blue big bros (i had one, placed it too early, and had a 30 foot runout to chains, next time I bring a 2nd...), and many slings for chockstones, you can bring yellow to black metolious but don't expect much from these pieces, and you can get a #0 metolious as the last piece before the chains if the runout has you frazzled.... |
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