Son of Great Chimney Direct 

You BAAstard! You stole my route! Just when I was going to make a come back!

A key flake broke off at the crux and the exit moves may now be easier than they used to be (no dyno). Really great route that protects reasonably well.

Offset Aliens are perfect for protecting the top moves.

Did this on TR over Labor Day weekend, absolutely amazing route. The finishing moves didn't seem too hard so i'm guessing Kris is right on with the finish.

Incredible lead Kris

Best route at DL

Thanks, Travis. Son of the Great Chimney and the direct variation would be mega-classics at any crag. Hats off to Pete Cleveland and Dave Groth.

Finally sacked up to lead this today-- awesome route! Well protected but somewhat runout, with a second exciting crux at the top.

Click here for gear beta if you are interested.

Finally got on this today, it is VERY GOOD! That crux after the rest on the regular route always feels hard for me. I assume I'm allowed to use the jugs on top of the see-behind block, then move left to the face? That seemed to feel like where the line logically divided.

Went back and led this today, one of the better protected 12's in the park. The last gear was placed blindly but I could down climb to the rest and then go up fresh to have a look at it. A whip from the top would be long but decently clean. A brass offset fit perfectly for the crux piece.

BTW, the crux of the regular route is always tricky for me, 11b/c for that. Not 11a like in the new guide.

For me, the route goes up from the crux of the 11a, pulling the bulge. There's one jug ledge at the top of the bulge, then a long reach to a thin crimp allows you to reset your feet for another long reach to the upper horizontal, which has 2 decent crimps in it. From these, you can place a #1 C4 and a nut in the blocks on the arete (without using the holds on the arete), then move up into that layback. A bit higher, in the second layback of the upper crux, you can place a bomber offset nut (one of the largest ones), but you'll probably need to figure this piece out before the lead, as it can be a bit pumpy here.

I think avoiding the right arete completely makes this route pumpy enough to deserve the 12a (as former debate suggests that the broken rock makes the upper crux 11d).

Ah, thanks Tom, I kinda thought that. I don't place gear in places I can't use for my hands so I considered that a unreasonable run-out if I went straight up from the bulge with no gear. 5.11d if one goes out right to the rest then.

There's a nice .75 C4 in the horizontal just left of the see behind block, kinda funky but its solid. Unfortunately this means I need to lead the direct proper without use of the rest.

Just try to find that offset nut in one of the lieback flakes. It should protect the cruxiest moves.

Yea, I got that, its the biggest off-set brass, plus a red C3 a few inches higher. They were both slightly blind placements and were hard to get perfect on lead.