[Hide Comment] My friend and I worked this route a few days ago, and it's fantastic... except for one major caveat. The crux isn't a move; it's a clip. The hold you have to clip off of at the crux (6th bolt) is terrible, with terrible feet, and puts you in a very awkward position. In fact, if you were to skip the bolt, or if it were lower and more to the right, you wouldn't even have to use that hold, and the fall would still be clean.

Instead of going straight up the face, just move out right to the arete. Another example of thoughtless bolt placement at Long Dong. Jul 11, 2013

[Hide Comment] There is really solid thinner gear in the corner and the arete also takes bomber, though widely spaced, cams.

Fun climb. I remember getting destroyed on the initial corner crux after smearing over a sea louse by mistake. Oct 28, 2013

[Hide Comment] Stellar 11a. I'd say a little beta intensive at the crux face which is littered with chalked holds, with only a few of them usable.

The dihedral involves serious stemming on non-existent feet, so softer shoes can make a huge difference on this climb - bring your slippers with 5.10 stealth or vibram grip, not vibram edge.

Did not have significant issues with the bolts , pretty good stances for most of them even as a shorter fella and very clean falls for the most part. If you're not solid at the grade, stick clipping the first bolt though is a good idea as with 90% of climbs at backdoor.

One last spoiler -- do not read if you want to claim an onsight!----
So I have to admit there was one weird issue with a bolt at the crux(i think the 7th bolt) -- once you clip it, the rope runs right over a nice crimp with a good thumb catch, which is one of the few decent holds in that section. Now there are certainly many different ways to tackle the face crux but for me that crimp hidden behind the rope was $$$. Sep 6, 2014

[Hide Comment] The "nice crimp with a good thumb catch" at the crux is a godsend!
There's a knee bar before last bolt where you can get a no hand rest. Sep 29, 2014

[Hide Comment] Great route but it took trying it on a wet day for the 5.11a holds and beta to come out. Don’t get suckered into going too far left once you get out of the bottom crux 4 bolt dihedral. The arete is really fun climbing. Like all Backdoor routes, highly recommended to climb at least an hour before the sun goes to avoid the moisture creep. Nov 18, 2019