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Stiffler's Mom 

5.11a

   

FA: Tyler Phillips, Robbie Colbert, Luke Douglas 2004
New Route: Yes
Type: Trad
Consensus: 5.11a [details]
Length: 12 pitches, 1300 feet, Grade III
Views: 4,842 page views

Submitted By: TP in SLC on Jul 1, 2004


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BETA PHOTO: Topo


Description 

This route was put up from the ground first. It lies about 300 yards east of Pentapitch and about 75 yards to the west of Nanooks of the North. The start has 2 options.

P1: Climb grassy crack to fixed pin in flake, climb up the flake into left facing dihedral passing a small pine, from top of the dihedral traverse left to stance and belay. 5.8-

Alternate 1st pitch: climb up steep slab sticking to whatever you can past 2 bolts, from there climb BEAUTIFUL arete to chains 3 bolts, 5 in total on pitch. ( Variation is called ' One Time At Band Camp' 5.11+)

P2: Climb up from belay using friction passing one bolt. From here a little dirt scrambling will bring you to some low angle climbing to a finger crack that leads to a pine tree. More dihedral climbing that has lots of face holds brings you to a semi-hanging belay w/ 2 bolts. 5.7

P3: The juice. Climb up awesome flakes going up over a roof to a great stance. Quality cracks up the face lead to a corner. From the top of the corner traverse out left to the arete passing 2 bolts. A wild step over brings up around the corner to a small stopper crack, crank one or two more moves to a great ledge and belay. 5.8+

P4: From the belay climb up using cracks. Keep cruising low angle cracks to a slightly harder finish to the big ledge and belay behind small trees on a 2 bolt anchor. 5.7

P5: From anchor climb left facing dihedral and keep cruising right over the slab passing one bolt. From the end of the traverse climb a cool flake to more bolts. Pinch, scum, balance your way up this shallow corner to a sequential exit. A fun slab traverse brings you to a really cool ledge w/ a big pine tree (American Pie Ledge) 5.10+

P6: From anchor look up and to the left you'll see a bolt. Climb up this and grope for the best crimp over the lip, keep searching for the good hold as you move up and get established in the left facing corner. Make a hard move getting established in the corner and enjoy the fun cracks that follow. At the top of the crack is a tightly bolted slab leading to a 2 bolt anchor. 5.11a

P7: Climb up into the undercling and traverse left. Near the end of the traverse launch straight up into the dihedral using fun features. At the top of the dihedral trend to the right passing 2 bolts to a mantle and the belay. 5.9

If you decide to climb past the 7th pitch ( which ends the 3 star rating) bring a 70m rope or 2 50m ropes for the raps. From the 7th pitch belay look up and note the dead pine tree about 110' up, this will be where your rap station is to re-gain the Stifflers Mom raps. The climbing on the upper half is full on adventure with some quality cracks near the "summit". Have fun.


Protection 

Set of cams to 3" and small set of nuts. 13 quickdraws, and long slings helpful.



Photos of Stiffler's Mom Slideshow Add Photo
Maura on the 5th pitch of Stifflers Mom.

Maura on the 5th pitch of Stifflers Mom.

Maura on pitch 7 of Stifflers Mom.

Maura on pitch 7 of Stifflers Mom.

P3 belay and on down to the base of the route.

P3 belay and on down to the base of the route.

P3 top

P3 top


Comments on Stiffler's Mom Add Comment
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Comments displayed oldest to newestSkip Ahead to the Most Recent Dated Aug 14, 2009
By Louis Arevalo
May 30, 2005

Excellent work! I was smiling the whole way. I found that pitch 3 was the real onsight crux with pitch 5 and 6 perhaps as difficult, but more visible. Pitch 5 is the money pitch. Arete pinching, toe hooking/scumming, smearing and exciting clipping, the rock is immaculate!

We climbed through pitch 7 and used a 70 meter to rap the route. It seems that rapping pitch 5 we used almost the entire length.

Easy to follow and super fun!

By Anonymous Coward
Jun 26, 2005

Sick! Sick! Sick! CLIMB!! Get on this more than once!! Come with some skills and a good leader head. My compliments to the chef.

By Craig Martin
From: Park City, UT
Aug 26, 2005
rating: 5.11a

Climbed this route on Aug 9th. We had a really awesome time on it, thought the rock was mostly excellent, of course it is a little dirty. Even dirtier after one of my partners while leading the second pitch got off route and pulled a loose rock down on us. It was about 3' x 2' and just missed us at the first belay. Scary! This was definitely caused by the inexperience of my partner not neccesarily because the route is loose or dangerous. In fact it is a great route. Definitely bring a 70 meter rope. Pitch 5 will use all of it on rappel. Our 60 came up short and I had to rap off a single bolt to make the anchor.

By Anonymous Coward
Sep 8, 2005

Fun route, nice work boys. Three stars? I dunno about that one, or "best long route in LCC" either, but fun non the less. Thanks for putting it up!

By tenesmus
May 11, 2006

3-stars for the 5th pitch alone. Watch out for that jug on the 4th pitch. Heavier climbers (like me) will feel it wiggle as you weight it so be sure you throw in the obvious tcu just below.

Thank you Tyler. Must have spent some serious cash and time on this route.

By Colby Wayment
From: Ogden, UT
May 21, 2006

Nice Route and Vision. Pitch 3 was awesome and so was the crux roof on pitch 6. A key jug to clip the 2nd bolt at the crux roof felt like it was flexing (pull gently); I'm an average weight climber - maybe my mind was just tricking me. I felt pitch 5 was the most difficult "onsight" pitch.

By Tim Wolfe
Jun 2, 2006
rating: 5.11a

I climbed this route 3 weeks ago for the first time. Very nice line, especially the 3rd, 5th and 6th pitches. I went back two weeks ago and cleaned up a variation to pitch 2, 3 and 4. I named it "The Slightly Stiffer Stiffler's variation." Pitch 2 variation follows the original route then veers off left to a slab/arete section - it is 5.9+ or 10a. Pitch 3 variation is 25 -30 feet to the left of pitch 3. I cleaned all the grass and munge from all the cracks and ledges, scrubbed up all the thin foot holds, worked the line and marked all the bolt placements (too hard and thin to do ground up). Got stormed off. I went back today to finish it and someone had drilled it - oh well. Sorry guy, but I did move one of your bolts that my partner and I felt was totally off. I have never changed a route before - but - had a lot of work into that pitch and wanted to see it right. This pitch is a unique climb in LCC canyon - hard lie backs on thin smears with improbable sequences. Not a typical slab, but not one with good crimps or crack either. It is probably 11b and is well protected (bring a few small cams). Although the original 3rd pitch is spectacular, this offers a more difficult and different variation. The 4th pitch variation is also left of the 5.2 usual pitch. It is probably about 5.9.
In terms of LCC long climbs, I have to agree this ranks in the top few and it is in the shade in the afternoon so a great summer outing. If you want a relatively sustained route you can now climb 5.11d (or 5.10a, A0), 5.10a, 5.10 (or 5.11b), 5.9, 5.10d/11a, 5.10d/11a, 5.9 for a great afternoon route.
Thanks for the vision and all the original work Tyler.
Tim Wolfe, George Rosenthal, Chris Abbott

By Luke Douglas
Jun 5, 2006

I did not know that we could move bolts to suit our own purposes, place bolts next to natural protection, and place bolts on someone else's climb. Did you even think to contact us as you were hanging from our anchors? No coment as to all your "hard work". For F.A.'s such as yourselves to show such a lack of respect and ethics is saddening.
Good Luck

By James Garrett
Jun 7, 2006

Sorry Tim, but you messed up on this one. I couldn't agree with Tyler and Luke more. It surprises me Tim, that you did that. "That" being, of course....squeezing or adding bolts or subtracting bolts when the First Ascentists are so available, hell, you could have called them from your cell phone on the crag if you were in such a rush to drill....that whole area has been a very evolving place and that route in particular was under what seemed like constant maintainence from Tyler and Luke. I have done the route about 5 times, and though I may have drilled it differently, it never entered my mind to go out there and redo it or change it or add something right next to it.
1. Did you know that they drilled it on lead? On your variation, You apparently did not.
2. Were you aware of how frequently and easily Tyler is available on the internet? He has taken so much grief for doing what he probably thought was a community service in putting in a well protected 8 pitch slab climb. He is a good enough climber to have climbed a 5.10b X route with much less. I am so glad he did not choose that path.
3. Are you aware of how sensitive an issue like this is?...yes, I think so because if someone did that to one of your routes that you may be proud of I would expect you to become very upset?
4. That whole section of this wall was deemed dirty and left untouched until very recently...why didn't you put up your route before Stifflers was there if you liked the wall so much?
5. Hey, I looked at that wall years ago and didn't see what Tyler and Luke saw. Unfortunately, you didn't either....maybe we both missed out...but that doesn't mean we need to decide now how we could have made it better and try to catch up for lost opportunity....it was done and they did a good job of it, right?! Why not pass out the kudos, and not independently decide how you can make it better in your opinion?
6. You said you liked the original route. With so many still unclimbed areas in the Wasatch...why not turn your efforts to those and pause and recognise these routes as what they are. What a shame to grid pattern or squeeze American Fork Style routes into this part of the Wasatch...like what you did just right of Pentapitch? It never seemd to be reported like no one wanted to fess up to it. I know I would have drilled it differently. If these are the type of routes you like, why not find unclimbed rock and do it there?
7. Smoot and Ellison just recently did some maintainence and adding bolts on the Nerve...it probably still feels run out for a gumby like me, but they are the only ones who can make those changes. I appreciate their efforts and look forward to clipping 3/8" steel up there. 5 feet to the right of that route is unclimbed rock and probably a great route...again, it is an unwelcome place to squeeze and it would detract rather than add and I hold my breath that someone could think they should go up there and "make it better".
8. Normally, I don't believe in chopping bolts, but what does the rest of the climbing community feel? After all, this area is ours and we need to cherish it. I vote for Tim to go up there and clean up his mess. And eating some Humble Pie may be in order with Tyler and Luke. I don't think they should be held responsible for the clean up.

By Nathan Fisher
Jun 23, 2006
rating: 5.11a

I am quoting TP off of utahclimbers.com for a better beta than was originally posted.

Start on the same slab as One Time At Band Camp, there is a seam/splitter running up the right side, pass a fixed pin ( best piece on lower part of pitch) then go into a thin flake, that turns a corner passing a tree onto a ledge 5.8-.

2nd pitch climbs above belay to a bolt, continue up through short 4th class to a beautiful .5" finger splitter (ends at pine growing out of crack) on a slab then up corner to belay stance/ anchors 5.8-.

3rd pitch climbs BEAUTIFUL flakes to a fun roof, from the roof, clip a bolt and climb more ..5" slab cracks to 2 bolts on the left arete (super bouldery) 5.10+.

4th pitch. From awesome belay ledge climb dirt filled crack to more cleaner cracks to nice ledge 5.7.

5th pitch ( my fav.) Climb short left facing dihedral to slab, clip a bolt move right, climb up sweet flake to more bolts that follow a shallow left facing dihedral ( 4 bolts), from top of the dihedral get the sequence right and traverses dead left past three bolts to the stellar American Pie Ledge, 5.10+.

6th Pitch. Climb roof passing three bolts and a small TCU placement, then follow dihedral up, passing a fixed pin to some sweet hands, after the crack, slab climb past 4 closely spaced bolts to belay/ anchor 5.11a.

Pitch 7. Climb obvious undercling up and left to dihedral, launch up dihedral ( super fun) to clip a bolt and traverse right along ramp clipping another bolt, mantle to chains. This is where the 3 star climbing ends.

Pitch 8 climb up to roof passing it on the left side, clip a hard to see fixed pin and pull into the alcove, natural belay, 5.7 rotten.

Pitch 9, from alcove climb up and right, the height of the route becomes apparent as the canyon road to the mouth and beyond can bee seen, stretch the rope and find a natural belay ( not hard super easy ground w/ trees). 5.6+.

From here scramble up towards "summit", there is a major gully splitting the upper face climb/hike up this until more technical climbing appears. There are a few variations here, but the best one climbs up hand cracks on the left hand side, turn formation on the left via finger traverse that is memorable, continue up 5th class to last tech. obstacle and surmount the "summit" on the left. 5.8 for last section w/ lots of 5th class, about 400 feet. From the Pentapitch "summit" take in the awesome views of upper Coalpit and of SLC.

Descend by walking east then wrap around north and down towards Stiffler's Mom. From the top of the 7th pitch look up, there is a large dead tree, next to this tree is the rap anchors to rap the route. Currently you need a 70m rope or 2 50m to rap the entire route, rap the route.

The route was put in ground up.

By Nathan Fisher
Jun 23, 2006
rating: 5.11a

Great route, with so many styles of climbing. I got the two plum pitches, thanks Mark. It's amazing that this line stayed unplucked until now.

By tenesmus
Jul 6, 2006

Tim wrote,""Sorry guy, but I did move one of your bolts that my partner and I felt was totally off. I have never changed a route before - but - had a lot of work into that pitch and wanted to see it right.""

I'm appalled by the self-righteousness of this statement. Its really amazing that someone would say this without even trying to contact the FA. Is one thing to disagree but completely different to act first.

By glen kaplan
From: Salt Lake City, UT
Jul 12, 2006

yeah...big boo boo to even think about moving someone else's bolt much less just go and do it...without even checking with folks first!

while we are here...who got to superslabs before me?...I did plenty of reconnaisance in the past and then finally went up there to begin mapping the route in preparation...low and behold...I went up there early summer...explored...liked it...came back a bit later...and there are brand new shiny bolts there! in fact...there is a four pitch, mostly bolted route there! oh well...I missed it...

By triznuty
From: Murray, UT
Jul 14, 2006

"In fact I challenge these REAL climbers who put up Stifflers, to hold the secrets they have to their tight circle. To keep closed mouth of their developments (I know they are working on some to date). To hell with all these bickering idiots that need other people to help them "discover" other areas. Let those people do laps on the same routes. Its easy to critize, its easy to argue, its not as easy to see through open eyes."

But Troy A., What about those of us who just keep our mouth shut and opinions to ourselves and climb on?? I still want to be in the know on the new stuff going up around here, but unfortunatly I'm not in these guy's "tight circle" (though I want to be...).

Thanks a lot to the F***-heads who think it's okay to alter other peoples work to cater their own needs!!!

By James Garrett
Aug 18, 2006

No, it most certainly is NOT the same as rap drilling. Where do you come up with these definitions?

By jonathan knight
Aug 18, 2006

Fun route with an emphasis on fun. There are tons of routes that can scare your pants off in LCC, but this ain't one of them. Nice work effort, too. Looking around the buttress and especially at the upper pitches, I got the idea of what it was like before. I liked the choice of line, but I didn't clip all the bolts. I had too much gear and not enough quickdraws and slings.

I only noticed a couple of bare studs sticking out when I took the time to search around. I've seen worse messes. Too many variations would make it more confusing, although it would be a fun route to have 50m double ropes for exploring different variations and for ease of descent.

Tony, SLC has never been overtly ethical since I've been around. There are lots of different styles on the granite in LCC. I think you've made your point, so let the FA crew figure it out.

By Gary Olsen
Aug 19, 2006

Tony, James is right. Hanging off a hook or sling or whatever aint the same as rapp bolting, not by a long shot. Guess Mr. Bachar should have just rapp bolted that thing in Tuolumne he did with Mr. Yerian.

Sounds like Tim and party messed up.

By d.reed
Aug 23, 2006

Been climbing since 1970.In regards to bolting and new routes,Sounds like the wasatch climbing community, (unfortunately)may have to consider, some sorta group, or ????? that could review,routes and proposed bolting, prior to the deed.Face it, there will be routes spaced just inches apart at some point.Route finding will easy " Just count over so many bolted lines or use a tape measure, to find the start of the climb you have selected.Kinda like an outside gym.
CLIMB WITH STYLE : CHEERS!!!!

By Rob C.
Aug 24, 2006

Umm... I climbed the first three pitches of Stiffler's today. And I noticed that most of the bolts on the first two pitches are removed... Just FYI for anybody headed up there.

By TP in SLC
Aug 26, 2006

Rob C is mistaken. All the missing bolts were off of One Time @ Band Camp and the Tim W variations, Stifflers is fine. The route is now patched no studs/holes or nothing. Please leave it be.

By ullr
Aug 28, 2006

Did this route last year, with the first pitch variation. Just came back yesterday to do it and was suprised to find the empty holes on the first pitch/variation.

Anyway, still a fun route. Thanks for all the effort Tyler and crew.

By triznuty
From: Murray, UT
May 13, 2007

Only did the first 5 pitches, but I've got to say, some of those slabs are down right sweet. And a few good cracks thrown in between. Though bring your A game for the slabs. Also bring you broom. I don't know if it just early in the season or what.. Some down right good climbing for sure! I'll be back for the upper pitches.

By triznuty
From: Murray, UT
May 14, 2007

Also, after the 4th pitch you really should have a 70m or two ropes with you for the rappel. You come up to short.

By Christian "crisco" Burrell
From: PG, Utah
May 21, 2007

Did the route 5/19/07. Most of the climb was very cool. The third pitch is as good as any in LCC. Unfortunately, my partner who led the third pitch (linking 2 and 3) decided to try the "5.8" crack to the right of the bolts. We ended up climbing the dirt clogged thingy. YUCK! The bolted way is much better and not that hard (under 5.10). The direct bolted line on the first fully bolted pitch was really cool until after the roof. couldn't quite figure out how to do it. Ended up laybacking the arete feature which felt really insecure (which is too bad considering that there is a way easier alternative just to the right. I won't bolt it but if the small corner just to the right were bolted it is only about 5.8/9!!! Maybe a single FP would do the trick.) The American Pie ledge is really cool (kicked back for a while there). The crux pitch had a really cool sequence but both of us agreed that the bolt would've been better further right and a bit higher. If you blew the moves with some slack out you will smack the slab below! LOOK OUT ANKLES! All in all though it was cool how every 10-20 feet you had something totoally different to work out. Fun day.

By BobGray
From: Salt Lake City, Utah
May 22, 2007

The Crux pitch has definitely gone up a notch since the flexing jug is no more. Without this crucial hold it's definitely harder to pull over the roof on pitch six. Good luck on pulling this move now, it is possible, but significantly harder.

By triznuty
From: Murray, UT
May 23, 2007

Crisokid must have some sic slab skills if he thinks the 3rd pitch slab is under 5.10...

By Christian "crisco" Burrell
From: PG, Utah
May 23, 2007

I can't help but wonder if the flexing jug made the bolt placement on the crux better. Yes, if you are trying a move between the two bolts and blow it, you could hit the slab or ledge below. We actually placed a TCU in the crack instead of clipping the bolt and felt totally fine. And there is a pretty moderate corner to the right of the bolted direct line (pitch 5). You would move a few feet to the right instead of turning the roof.

By TP in SLC
Jun 2, 2007

So the jug finally went. I have done the moves not using the jug and felt it was still 5.11a, but I am a lurpy dude. What do you guys think, (go climb it before giving me your answer please, and i will too, soon.) Should that bolt get moved that Crisco skipped? From his description it sounds like the 2nd bolt to the 6th pitch.

Tyler

By Craig Martin
From: Park City, UT
Jun 21, 2007
rating: 5.11a

Stiffler's Mom, "Like a good wine, just gets better with age".

The jug is missing on pitch 6, but it really hasn't made the climbing any harder. It in fact provides a better(lower)foot hold and may make it a little easier. My partner says "in the gunks that pitch would be 5.9". What a dick.

The bolts are fine on pitch 6, no need to change anything.

By Kristofer
Aug 13, 2008
rating: 5.11a

The first 6 pitches are amazing. We climbed up the 7th and 8th pitch and did not enjoy it. NOTE: The 5.9 traverse on pitch 7 goes well past the gully which is unclear on the hand drawn map. I would advise just doing the first 6 pitches. We ran into numerous bees and wasps above this pitch. Not only were there a lot of bees and wasps but they followed us everywhere.

It is also not a fun rappel from the anchors at the end of pitch 7. Rappelling from pitch 7's anchors leads you down a different route. NOTE: Using a 70m rope to rappel from the 7th pitch anchors is not safe since the next set of anchors below is a body length below the end of the rope. The other option if you have time is to climb the 5.9 traverse back to the anchors at the end of the 6th pitch.

I give 4 quality and magnificent stars for the 1st 6 pitches. This should be the end of the route as described.

By Ben Folsom
From: Sandy, Utah
Aug 18, 2008

Maura and I climbed this route the other day. (To the top of pitch 7). I had done it before a while ago, but couldn't remember much of it. (except that there were 3 Bens on a ledge). We both thought it was great, and as Jonathan said, it is nice to go do a route in LCC and be able to sew it up. I'm sure it took a lot of work to equip, and I thought the FA's did a great job of it, and of linking together such good climbing on something that doesn't look that good from the ground.
Maura and I ran together pitches 1-2, and 3-4. So we climbed to the top of pitch 7 in 5 pitches which was a good way to do it. I didn't have any info on the route either so we brought two ropes for the rappels. After getting my rope stuck trying to rap from the top of 7 to the top of 5, and having to re-lead and downclimb the 5.11a bulge section, we decided it best to just rap with 1 70m from there down. So I believe the best way is to just bring 1, 70 meter and rap it how it is set up.
Anyway, nice work guys on the FA, and dealing with all the shit from others since then. Too bad someone deleted all their posts, I'm curious as to the comments they had made.
Also for Kristofer. I think you may have traversed a bit far on pitch 7. I went out that nice steep corner going up and left from the belay, then when that feature starts going straight left and not angling anymore, I climbed straight up and a bit right passing two bolts to a 2 bolt anchor with chains. From there the rappel took us right back down the route. I would recommend pitch 7, it is nice.

By michael layton
From: Salt Lake City, UT
Sep 22, 2008
rating: 5.11a

This route was a fun quick little romp with some really short but fun and well protected cruxes. Like most modern multipitch routes squeezed in for climbing sake, not for the actual aesthetics of the line, it goes really really quick. There's no reason whatsoever to go beyond the last bolted station, I'd choose a different way up if I wanted a summit adventure. Kudos to the hard work for putting it up, it's a fun ride for sure. A couple pitches are very overbolted which is my only complaint, but since it's not a "pure line" to begin with, only those pre-occupied with ethics would actually care. As for it being a the "best long route in the wasatch"...I'm new here so I sure hope this isn't the case! My partner and I were chuckling at the enthusiasm for the FA party on not only the hype, but also the name of the route and features. American Pie was kinda funny, but certainly not timeless. I hope this was named when the movie was popular and current, otherwise somebody likes that movie a wee bit too much.
Sincerely,
The peanut gallery.
Good times.

By Jason Wiggins
From: Draper, UT
Aug 14, 2009
rating: 5.10+

Great route. The arcing slab pitch (5 or 3 if linking pitches) is one of my favorite pitches in the canyon.

I would highly recommend moving the belay to the base of the crux pitch as the standard anchors are near horizontal to the first bolt and far enough away to make ledging out very likely if you blew the crux move. There is a large tree and some crack so a trad anchor on the ledge below the roof is simple.

Not that it matters one way or the other but I would throw in a vote for .10+** for the route w.r.t. other climbs in the canyon. Thanks for the good work FA party!