This was described in the guide book as a classic route...deservedly so IMO! The approach to the base of the crack is hidden. Essentially, there is a huge pile of boulders and flakes around the base of the climb. So, if you walk up in front of this, and take a tunnel into a cave on the left, you end up in a cave with a hole coming out that would get you there. Instead of coming out of that hole, go all the way to the VERY back of the cave, look down to the right, and you will find a hidden easy chimney that puts you right at the base.
In any case, get to the bottom of the nice looking crack (one crack to the right from a huge chimney, Baldwins Chimney 5.4, that splits the whole face, and ends up at a chockstone on the left). The first half of the pitch is wide for about 50 feet. Wedge yourself into the thing, and heel toe your way up. I had my left side in, so, maybe rack up mostly on the right. After about halfway, the crack becomes an excellent, and steep handcrack until it peters out, and ends on a flat section. From the flat section, you go left to belay at the chockstone. You will have to jump over Baldwins Chimney to get to the chockstone. Or, if nobody is watching, just downclimb, and cruise over to it...:) The belay at the chockstone can be made with slings, and/or your lead rope. And you could back it up with a large cam, but, with the same 100 million ton boulder.
To get off the route, you continue up the Parabolic Slab (5.2). Im reasonably sure you could also do this in the same pitch as Mother #1, and skip the chockstone belay. Either way, this continues up, and slightly right from the end of the Mother #1 crack for about 30 feet. Its a low angled slab with crystals. No pro, but, no worries (maybe a little interesting in the rain). You can do a really fun, overhanging rappel off the back side of the slab (this is the same rappel that is shown on the back of the guide book). This rappel takes you to a walk off that continues by sort of spiraling back down the crag clockwise.
You can also rap off the top of Father #1 which is the 5.11 finger crack to the right on Mother #1.
After we did this route, a geology student informed us that the rock is well over 2 billion years old, and some of the oldest rock they know of...pretty cool beta anyways!
Protection
This is a fairly long (maybe 110 feet??), fairly wide crack that ends up as a hand crack. I dont think I placed a single stopper, but, a couple mid-big cams will do the job. Nice to have at least a #4 cam. Long pants, tape gloves!!!
- Yes, you can climb to the anchors on the top of the Parabolic Slab. I think this is the nicer finish. It can be done with a 50m rope. Just remember a solid directional in the top of the crack before you break up and right.
- The rappel off of the back of the Parabolic Slab can be done with a single, 50m rope.
- The offwidth section is not terribly difficult, but it's long enough that a handful of big pieces are comforting. Nothing big above the obvious horizontal, so don't bother to save anything beyond a #3 Camalot.
- The rack-right comment is dead on for the offwidth, but I found it most comfortable to turn around at the horizontal and climb the upper crack right-side-in (rack on left).
The book says that this starts with 5.4 and steadily progresses to 5.7. I know my offwidth technique needs some work, but we agreed that the bottom is definitely harder than the handcrack top. You'll need #3 or #4 Bro's or #5 Camalot to protect the lower 1/2 of the route. We climbed Baldwin's Chimney and toproped Mother #1 from the Chockstone in the top of Baldwin's since our biggest pieces were #11 Hex and #4 Camalot. We put a directional at the top of Mother #1using a #2 Camalot. The rating is a little stiff IMO. I cranked out Hiatus on the Left Book on Lumpy much easier than this Mother ;-)
Another alternative: set up your own anchor at the top of this crack. The pro is all there, and that way you can keep the rope straight. When your follower comes up, have him go past you and then hard Right to another set of rap anchors. Then you can both lower off back to the start. Easy and fast.
I led this with only a couple of 3 inch cams, a 3.5 and smaller pieces. I ran out of big gear and had to "be creative." Take a 4" or 5" for the bottom. Also, this crack is way difficult if your not used to offwidths. I've learned that the decimal system doesn't mean much here. It is easy to get over your head. I've led 9+ in South Platte that felt more comfortable.
By Jason Kaplan From: Evergreen Co Oct 3, 2005 rating: 5.7+
Just did this route last weekend, racing the sun it was an epic of monsterous [proportions]. I got my rope stuck in the crack and ended up leaving it with all of my gear there over night, I almost cut my rope out the next morning after a few [frustrated] attempts to [retrieve] it. It got looped around another stuck cut out section of rope and locked in the crack pulling upward like a stopper. What a mess, but before I got to hacking I reversed the puzzle and pulled my rope free. I was just being a moron, but be careful because this crack can eat your rope.
With that being said I thought the rating was a little stiff for a 5.7 but I guess my technique lacked as I suffered , pulled gear and bleed up this course mother of a crack. I have led up to 5.9 trad and I thought this was the hardest and scariest 5.7 trad route I have done to date.
Even a small fall seemed to [remind] me of cheese in a grater. Just a little beta that would have helped me , get a piece and go, it only get's worse up [until] the top out (hand/ fists). I found it useful to get my right side in after the groove, but then again I grabbed gear once through that section.
I can see why it's a classic and mother #1 if you are ready for an ego bruising throw yourself at this.
Just for clarification: The Parabolic Slab is actually formerly known as The Potato Chip, for obvious reasons. Why this was renamed The Parabolic Slab I do not know.
Or if you walk 10 feet to the north of the ledge at the base of the potato chip you can rap to the ground using the chains presumably setup to toprope Flying Buttress.
By Phil Persson From: Golden, Colorado Apr 20, 2009
With just a little bit of offwidth technique, this is an awesome, sustained 5.7+. Bring one #5, one #4, two threes and then hand size Camalots. Belaying from the top of the parabolic slab is definitely the way to go.
Nautilus
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