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Lower Blair III, II and I
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Random Crystals 

5.8+

   

FA: 
Type: Trad
Consensus: 5.8+ [details]
Length: 1 pitch, 70 feet
Views: 133 page views

Submitted By: KateC on Feb 29, 2008


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Description 

Another wide crack, with a chimney-like crux, on the Northwest side of Blair III. After one in our party pulled off a key side-pull hold, none of the rest of us could figure out how to get up it at a 5.8 grade. It might have gotten harder after last summer


Protection 

Cams, a few bigger ones. Can be TR'd with gear and long slings above.



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By Matt Richardson
Administrator
From: Fort Collins, CO
Aug 1, 2008
rating: 5.8

This route is located probably about 20' left of Go Left, Old Man, Go Left. Similar to that route, the first section is garbage-y with all of the solid climbing located in the last 20' of the route.

By Matt Richardson
Administrator
From: Fort Collins, CO
Aug 4, 2008
rating: 5.8

OK, after having done what is a worthwhile warm up for this area, here's the lowdown: this route is located about 10' left of Go Left and is the first route after this one. The first 30' probably go at 5.5 on a low angled slab split by a crack (as does Go Left). The business starts at the end of this slab where a wide, steep, and flaring crack diverges into two distinct hand size cracks. To surmount this, throw a jam in on the left hand crack (a hand-size piece will protect his move, although the flaring nature of the crack makes it a little spooky) and work your feet up until you can throw another jam into the right hand crack. From here on out, the route is relatively straight forward - work both cracks until you reach the end of them, breaking out right when you reach the flake at the top. Bolted anchors at the top will get you to the bottom; although, I am not sure why these are here given that there is an easy walk off just to the south.

Having done this route now twice over the past several years, I am not sure what Kate is referring to. The vast majority of the route is typical Vedauwoo 7 (disregarding the first section) with only the crux checking in at somewhere around 8. I didn't feel that this route was any more difficult than the last time I did this - the jams are good and getting into the hand cracks just seem like typical 'woo trickery no harder than Le Petite Arbre or the start of Juxtaposition. Singles in the hand size pieces will get you up this easily.