Tooth Decay  5.11+

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Type:  Trad, 2 pitches, 160 feet Consensus:  5.11c [details] FA:  Submitted By:  Aaron Hobson on Mar 5, 2006 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (2) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

BETA PHOTO: Tooth Decay turns the left lip of the big roof.

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Description 

This route provides a more exciting direct start to the longer climbs on the Tooth. It can be done in two pitches or a single long pitch (rope drag may be an issue). The climb starts with some fun laybacking up a grass-choked flake. At the top of the flake are three bolts separting you from an overlapping roof and easier ground. Getting from the 2nd to the 3rd bolt is very delicate and the move from the 3rd bolt to the overlapping roof is the crux. Once the crack is grained there is a two bolt belay once you turn the corner and establish yourself in the wide hands-OW crack. From here keep climbing up the crack until you can break right onto the face (before the next roof overlap) and face climb up to a bushy ledge that is shared with nearly all other routes that ascend beyond.

Location 

This climb starts on a low angle slab/ledge on the left hand side of the cliff. there is another line of bolts on the face to the left of this route which is unfinished project in the 5.12 range.

Protection 

Small-mid size cams for the initial lay-back and large cams for the crack above. The 2nd bolt is a button-head and rusty. The third bolt is a rusty 1/4 inch, and the belay consists of two rusty 1/4 inch bolts. As always caution is advised when clipping these old bolts.