Wheels on Fire  5.9

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Type:  Trad, 1 pitch, 120 feet Consensus:  5.9 [details] FA:  Wheeler, Alred, Gilbert '78 Submitted By:  Peter Gram on Jul 2, 2004 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (55) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

A better shot of Mikey at the end of the traverse....

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Description 

Wheels on Fire is a continuously difficult climb with good gear and can be quite strenuous. Approach up the Green A gully, looking for the obvious thin crack on the right with a giant flake up high.

Start up a really slick section of scrambling to gain a higher ledge. Either approach the crack directly for a little more challenge, or traverse in from the left up higher. Jam and lieback up to the big flake (crux right below the flake). Hand traverse left, then fire up the really cool left-facing dihedral. Keep an eye to the right for the anchors, so as not to climb right past them!

Protection 

Standard Rack. I placed gear ranging from tcu size up to a #3 camalot. Passive pro works really well too.

Descent 

One 60m rope rap gets you all the way down past the slick scrambling. This is a rope stretcher, but it is very safe, and is not the 130' mentioned in the guidebook. Make sure to watch out for the rock eating cracks near the anchor.

Photos of Wheels on Fire Slideshow

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BETA PHOTO: Wheels on Fire climbs the crack until the obvious ...	BETA PHOTO: Another view with lines 1) Wheels on Fire 2) Wheel...	Resting before the traverse.
Loving this no-hands rest.	Rob, moving on the traverse.	Mike Buchannan living in the wrong era!
John D. on the direct.	Wheels on Fire, as seen from the the approach to S...