Utter Butter on a Rope  5.9

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Type:  Trad, 2 pitches, 225 feet Consensus:  5.9 [details] FA:  Bob Archbold/Vernon Phinney 89' Submitted By:  Floyd Feldspar on Jul 24, 2006 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (2) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

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Description 

Vernon Phinney's book says this is 3 pitches and 5.9+ near the top. IMO trying to complete this climb as written in the book is difficult to understand. Start on P1 of Political Prowess following a right to left hand crack. Rig the second piece of pro on a quickdraw as a runner can fall into the crack and cause nasty drag. Gain the top of the flake then continue straight up a smaller crack/seam protecting with smaller gear. This will top out at the belay for P2 of Political Prowess. DO NOT belay here...instead traverse 30ft left to a gully where you'll find a verticle crack on the left where you can build a hanging belay to eyeball the entire second pitch. Climb the wall following a series of criss crossing crack/seams exactly half a 60 meter rope length to a slender pyramid horn. Here you must decide to belay again or bail(recommended) After this point rock quality degrades from excellent/very good to crap. (lichen and auto sized flakes destined for the talus heap) If you do continue straight up 5.9 you'll gain a 1.5ft ledge to belay for the last pitch. All climbing up to pyramid horn is fun, well protected and nothing harder than 5.8. The crux is the 2 rope rap.(rope eating flakes) Rap only to the first hanging belay then climb up and left where you have several options for the last rap to the ground.

Location 

The start is P1 of Political Prowess. Directly behind Read my Clips. Five minutes maybe from the road

Protection 

S,M,L stoppers, hexes and cams to #3 camalot
Plenty'O leaver webbing
No bolts or anchors.