Satterfield's Crack 

This fun chimney/offwidth can be done as one pitch w/ a 50m. I would highly recommend the "Bolder Exit" variation since it keeps the route in a direct line and has some exposed moves to finish. Solid for 5.9 but it can be protected nicely with a 0.5 friend--so don't leave all the small stuff at home.

I and my partner both would have both called this a 3-star climb if climbed in a single pitch and finishing with the 5.9 (+) boulder exit. The climb will be a little runout unless you have large protection for the large crack. We're talking bigger than a #4 camalot folks.

I got to watch my #4 Camalot walk out of the large crack above the first belay. Makes you feel good to hear it clinking down below you. If you place the gear deeper it is a lot easier to find placements for smaller gear, #2-#4 cams. Just bring a lot of 24" slings to make life easier. We did this in one pitch with a 200' rope without any real problems with rope drag. Going through the cave/offwidth section at the end really sucked. If possible I would say go with the boulder exit to the left of the cave exit. My partner turned himself around in the cave/offwidth section and he said he had an easier time of getting up the last 20 feet. Just an option to try.

Likely FA information: Chuck Satterfield, who guided in the Tetons in the 60s or so before ultimately settling in the eastern sierra.

This route was reported to have scared the pants off of Chuck's son (and then-Boulder resident) who led it about eight years ago, before embarking on his own guiding and first ascending career in the Sierras.

If you take the boulder exit to the left of the big protruding boulder at the top of the first picture, you come out on a ledge with the belay, rap anchors. Otherwise if you take the cave/offwidth route right of the boulder you will either need to set up a belay station and walk on a narow sloping ledge over to the rap anchors, or belay someone over since the exosure is a little high even though you can literally walk to the rap anchors form there. If you have two ropes you can get to the ground from these anchors, otherwise a 200' rope will get you to a set of chain anchors on Walts Route's 5.4 section about 80' below you and to the climbers left.

Also if you rap off the anchors a tthe top of Satterfields with two ropes, watch out for getting the ropes snagged on the boulders right os the first anchors on Walts route. We had three groups in a row get their ropes caught up there when rapping. When you look at it you will realize it might be easier just to do the two raps to get down.

#6 and #7 tricams work real nice in the second pitch corner before reaching the offwidth. By supplementing cams to 4.5 with the two tricams, the route protected very well!

Yes, the sqeeze chimney finish is a bitch. Some people are gonna love it and most will despise it. I'm in the former category. If you get scared, look behind you about half way up the thing and you will find a crack that accepts a small cam.

This route feels like old school 5.8. I haven't been ejected off a 5.8 in a while and the start of this one got me. I love routes like this!!! A red C3 protects the start very nicely and kept me from ground fall. It is possible to rap with one rope if you catch the rap station about 40' from the ground and 15' to rappeller's left on the way down from the rap station at the top of this route (look for the small sandy ledge). If you do a double rope rap, watch out for the top of the flake about 40' up from the ground along the fall line of the rope. This feature tends to catch ropes quite often. It caught 2 while we were there today!! This rope catching feature can be avioded with 2 single rope raps.

Fun climb! As of July, slinging two chockstones in the squeeze chimney provided decent protection for the standard finish. I put a #3 Camalot in before the chimney, slung a baseball-sized chockstone low, and then it was about 10 feet of slithering before I could sling the volleyball-sized chockstone. A long runner helped avoid too much rope drag. Starting the second pitch is definitely #4 Camalot or larger territory.

Despite considerable effort on my part, I've never placed anything larger than an old style #4 Camalot on this climb. While there are places where something larger would fit, there are always better placements for smaller pieces slightly below those spots. The only place where you might really want a big piece is entering the squeeze chimney, and you'd have to place it below your feet to avoid knocking it loose as you passed.

On the 2nd pitch, we found that 2 BD #3s (beginning), 1 BD #4 (middle), 2 BD #5s (end), and a sling for chockstone in chimney sewed this one up pretty tight. Variety of fun moves, great rock, great pro, great climb.

Great climb. Can't believe I have been to Vedauwoo so many times and never been on this one. Classic Vedauwoo, awkward, sustained with some weird stuff. Crux might be the first 15 feet or so and getting into the chimney. Whole climb can be a bit slick on the feet as a lot of water funnels down this route. Found a four and half Camalot to come in quite handy (equal to a new number 5). I thought fairly graded at 8.

Definitely do the boulder exit if you want to feel some exposure. I couldn't justify not doing it. I exited OVER the boulder, which was tough for a 5.9, however some pictures showed going left around it. Either way, it was fun. The last piece of protection needs a long enough sling! I had a ton of drag for the second. Great fun. Didn't need that many big pieces. two #3s, a #4, and I maybe used the #5. Definitely keep a either a C3 or small Aliens for the top. LONG SLINGS, and a good nut placement is available just before the exposed move behind the climber's head. Have fun!