Youth Challenge  5.10b

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Type:  Trad, 3 pitches, 160 feet Consensus:  5.10b [details] FA:  J Dunn, J Wilson, Ed Webster, sep 20 1976 Submitted By:  lee hansche on Oct 7, 2008 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (6) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

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Description 

Wow... much better than I thought it would be. Not that Youth Challenge doesn't look cool, but the second pitch is super fun. The first pitch is a strenuous good time and you should just do it. I love the position of this part of the wall--really nice exposure and view

Pitch 1: (5.10b) Start by jamming and laying back a bit of a grunt of a 5.10 crack. I've heard grades of 10b to 10d, but whatever it is, just plug some gear and hold on until the slightly slopey top out. The gear is harder to get at the crux, so plug a bit down low. Belay with gear and a single bolt.

Pitch 2: (5.10b) Again folks will argue about grades, but this seemed about right to me. Start up a hand crack on the left, then transition to the right-hand crack by way of a good foot. Protect well and make a 5.10 move up in to the sustained upper part. After the crux move, it's sustained 5.9 climbing for the most part until you meet up with Retaliation and get a little rest before that route's pumpy layback crux. Head straight up to the ledge or skirt around to the right. Belay from the ledge on gear.

Pitch 3: (5.6) Head straight up the cracks to the trees.

Location 

Youth Challenge is a direct start to Retaliation with pretty much 1 and 3/4 independent pitches. Scramble up on to a ledge below the crux of that route and find the nice clean 35ft crack.

Protection 

Regular rack. Some flaring crack make for tricky placements but over all it's well protected.