This route is a Vedauwoo Classic! All sizes of crack climbing to a technical and hair-raising face climbing finish. Starts Fists then widens to offwidth just before a nice hands to thin hands splitter shoots straight up the imposing "headwall". Start on the route Moontide with the fist and offwidth crack. When the wide crack turns horizontal start up the vertical hand to thin hand crack that shoots straight up the wall, this is The Moonrise Variation. Moontinde continues along the wide crack as it turns horizontal and finishes on an obvious offwidth, thereby avoiding the beautiful splitter and face finish of Moonrise. Moontide is easier but not as aesthetic (5.10a).
Location
Just down and Left from Straight and Narrow. Very obvious wide crack that arcs to the right with the thin hands splitter of Moonrise branching off and going directly up to the anchors.
Protection
1 of each; yellow TCU, Orange TCU or #0.5 Camalot, #0.75 Camalot, #1 Camalot and #2 Camalot. 2 or 3 #3 Camalots, 1 new #4 Camalot, 1 new #5 Camalot. The yellow and orange TCUs offer bomber pro just before the face finish. Brand new, stainless anchors with chains on top.
I agree Moontide is not as aesthetic as Moonrise and technically easier; however, don't be fooled the final offwidth after the traverse on Moontide caught me by surprise, and I wished that I had chosen the direct variation. My only suggestion if you decide on moontide is to bring a #6 Camalot or wider, you won't regret having it for the last 20 feet.
WARNING: the rock in the pod about halfway up moves as well. It actually moves with ease, whether from a loaded cam or just a foot jam will cause it to shift from one side to the other, causing cams to tip out and fingers to get stuck.
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