Climbers on the third pitch out on a sea of granit...
Description
Climb S-Crack, or Standard Thumb/Indecent Exposure the Lunch Ledge. S-Direct tackles the smooth slab left of the Standard Thumb "Trough" pitch. Four pitches above Lunch Ledge to unrope, and hike over the back, or rappel the route. I did this route about 8 years ago, and remember it as serious...but not crazy runout. Something has changed in 8 years, however. OK, I'll admit to gaining a few...ok, a dozen...OK, TWENTY!...pounds since my first time on this route. But I can still hike most 9's in the canyon, like the Coffin, Sasquatch, and Green Adjctive. So something else is missing.....a bolt! The topo and route description for this route (in three different guidebooks)all describe the crux pitch (the second pitch on the slab)as having three bolts...and then a runout to the belay. Well, I got about 20 feet above the second bolt and couldn't even SEE the third one. The climbing to that point was easily 9+, and a little gritty...I tried for about 20 minutes to find the route upward, but decided to back off. I SLOWLY downclimbed to the second bolt, traversed back left to the first bolt, and tried the more direct variation (S-Direct's original line is somewhat indirect). Still healthy runouts, but fun climbing linking chickenheads on less gritty rock. From the third bolt on the direct var., I could not see another bolt to my right on the original route as shown on the topo, where I remember from my previous ascent. I belayed at a small overlap, where you can get small but good cams, and sling a giant chickenhead just to the right. Pulling over this overlap, the climbing gets easier, though still runout. The anchor shown on the topo for the crux pitch is BAD - 2 quater inchers. One LONG pitch above the overlap will reach easy ground.
All in all, we enjoyed S-Direct (direct variation) tremendously. I would give the Variation one R, and the Original route 2 R's. Timid climbers and Good samaritans: still some manky and missing bolts up there to replace!One last note: the walkoff still sucks. I vote for a zipline from the summit of the Thumb to the Gate boulders.
Protection
Standard Rack to climb one of the routes to Lunch Ledge....then just a few draws on the S-Direct Slap...and some slings to tie off knobs!
The bolts on the pitch in question are there. Bolt 1 is above the anchors, bolt 2 is long traverse right, bolt 3 is another 30+ feet up (1/4'er), and bolt 4 now exists. A new 3/8" next to an old 1/4'er. From this point we wandered left to the overlap with gear placement above the Variation. Those (1/4 inch) anchors were not what my partner and I deemed safe, so we traversed back right to Nob Job's anchors. Twin ropes are imperative on this route. We also did not do the final pitch. This allows you to exit more gracefully. 2-rope raps from Nob Jobs anchors twice, then from the Lunch Ledge.
The always perfect wordsmith styling of the Ruckman guide sez it all..."bold elegance on a sea of white granite". Very fine route. I think the variation straight up after the crux is a better line. Bold and memorable.
Mark, It is now possible to climb all the way to the summit block of the Thumb and rappel down to the Thumb gully via the Matrix and NobJob (may be easier pulls and more direct)....albeit with two ropes! Ciao
By Arie Leeflang From: North Korea Aug 25, 2007 rating: 5.9+ R
When we climbed this in fall 2005 I swear the bolts must have been replaced (if so- many, many, thanks). I'm sure I would have crapped my pants climbing this with 1/4"ers. Much praise to whomever replaced the bolts and saved my skids.
The 3rd bolt on P2 is still a button-head, looks solid but made me feel a bit queasy. Kinda strange since all the other bolts have been updated. I clipped everything with a shoulder-length runner + long draw and rope drag was non-existent. On my first trip up there I clipped the 3rd bolt and traversed up and left to the overlaps instead of going up to the 4th bolt. It was pretty mellow as the slab gets more featured and there's gear/chickenheads to sling. This time I went straight up to the 4th bolt (stout) then traversed left to the anchor and if felt considerably harder and more runout. I placed a nest of really poor micros in a flake halfway between the bolt and the anchor and was puckered until I grabbed the chain. I still feel like the first slab pitch is the crux though...
RSS Feed
Slideshow
