Watanobe Wall 

FA: Tobin Soreson, Jim Wilson & Guy Keese, 1975. A good route, but hardly 3 stars unless you mean 3 out of 5.

Agree with Tony.. I'd done this one multiple times. Usually took the pussy exit left (5.8sh). Going straight up adds an extra punch. .

On the hard side of 10a. All of our gang did Taxman, (as well as most other a's) cleanly but took a couple of trys on this one! A kneebar helps.

If you set a TR on it, place 2 or 3 pieces for directionals.It's an optical illusion that makes the crack look much more vertical than it is when viewed from below. You could end up swinging hard from the first crux into the corner on the right if you don't set it up correctly.

All in our party agreed this should be rated a 5.10b. The last time I climbed this was in 11-04 and it was not any easier this time even knowing what moves lied ahead. The initial start is this very clean under-cling where you delicately move under and into the upper crack. The crux begins when reaching the main crack. At the beginning of the right leaning crack is a rather large area, too large to fist jam, unless you are a giant. However, this area is an excellant placement for a #3 cam. The next moves are what I feel make this a 5.10b instead of an 10a. It is strenuous and reachy moving through this area, I had to arm bar this lower area until I was able to reach a tiny hold on the outside of the crack. The moves are unrelenting and dificult. As we all left this climb, we laughed and agreed it was a typical JT 10+....

To narrow to fist jam, I hate the good hand jam I get in the transition.

If you are 6'3" or taller, the crux is trivial and the rest of the climbing no harder than 5.7. Similar in difficulty to Orphan. Not a "full value" pitch.....

There seems to be a trend starting that has many routes being upgraded to bigger numbers on routes that are pretty much the same. I feel this route is 5.10a and maybe even 5.9+ as Murf posted. To each their own. Ratings are relative.

Murf, I think you misunderstood my comment on the crack width. My fist is way too small to neatly slip into that "wide" crack-it was arm bar time-.

Not a bad route if you are in the area looking for a warmup or last route of the day, but nothing particularly remarkable about the route...

SUPER F-ING route. 10a all the way, lead it twice in a row so i could do the right variation. Overlooked classic. Great pro.

Fun crux which is very hand size dependent. I've got big meat paws so I could fist jam the crux, where smaller hands may have a tougher time. Good stuff.

Seems harder than other 5.10as imo, as the feet don't really give you much love for about 20-30 feet. Worthy route. A #3.5 or #4 camalot is handy at the crux if you're squimish like me.

Great fun route, take the right finish or you're cheating yourself.

Did the route for the first time as the last route of the day. My partner warned me the bottom might be difficult so I placed a #2 camalot, 1.5" DMM, and finally a 3.0 camalot in the vertical fist slot. Casual! Afterwards a stopper and 1" cam. I did use the left exit which according to comments here is the easier exit. Next time, I"m going right. Nice route - not sure what took me 15 years to do it. I'll be doing it again.

~Susan

Done this route several times. I feel it has a fair rating of 10a. But of course if you hand is to small for that key fist jamb, it may feel harder. The fist jamb is key for me. When I first done it I put my 3.5 cam where my fist should be. Big mistake. I corrected that by putting it higher. Then made the move. I have done both exits at the top. Going straight up is my favorite.

Wow, lots of discussion about ratings for what I believe is a pretty standard .10a for Josh, even if you can't stick the fist jam (which I can't). A fun route that usually doesn't have anyone on it.

I just tried the right variation and had to bump my stars up. It significantly adds to the pump factor by keeping the climbing quite sustained. Right is the way to go if you want to add some value to the route.

slippery at/below the crux, watch those feet!

felt like 10a... at the crux I use a #4 C4 and save the #3 parts of the crack for my fists. came back and did the right exit which climbs through really good fingerlocks/jams to top out. Highly recommended to go this way– you can rest at the jugs for how ever long it takes to de pump.