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Layback and Relax

5.8-, Trad, 50 ft (15 m),  Avg: 2 from 1 vote
FA: Mitchell Allen, Evan Anderson
Utah > Northeast Utah > Vernal Area > Rdside Formation (Red…

Description

Layback and mantle through an odd 5.8 start (the only move on the route above 5.5-5.6) to gain lower angled terrain. Follow the thin crack/flake for 10 ft to a straight-in hand crack angling up and left. Follow this 5.5 crack up through the slot to belay. Walk off to the south towards Brush Creek.

Location

This route is the obvious low-angle ramp with a crack in it as seen from the road.

Protection

Bottom belay stance is on steep and soft clay, protect belayer with #3-4 camalots. Upper belay takes #1-3.5 camalots or larger nuts/hexes. For route: a few smaller nuts and a few handsize or smaller cams.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Vernal Free-solo circuit. Layback and Relax.
[Hide Photo] Vernal Free-solo circuit. Layback and Relax.
View from the top. Hwy 191 in the upper right-hand corner.
[Hide Photo] View from the top. Hwy 191 in the upper right-hand corner.
Layback start. The only 5.8 move is laying back and getting your feet up high onto the rock.
[Hide Photo] Layback start. The only 5.8 move is laying back and getting your feet up high onto the rock.
Belay Crack on the top.
[Hide Photo] Belay Crack on the top.
Crack as seen from the road.
[Hide Photo] Crack as seen from the road.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Steve Fuller
[Hide Comment] I've been in Vernal for work all summer and been looking for some decent rock. Fun, easy route, set it up with a friend yesterday, just walked up the back and made a really poor top rope anchor with a few slings over the right rock from the top-out and a backup hooked up to some sagebrush behind it (not recommended). The chinle is dirty, but fun to climb on. The start's a bit bouldery, but the rest is just a walk in the park. I started way right of the crack and traversed over, didn't understand the mantle as provided in the description. Jul 25, 2014
Mitchell Allen
Little Rock, Arkansas
  5.8-
[Hide Comment] Hey Steve,

I had a few friends that also started way right on the slabby stuff. I think it knocks this down to about a 5.5 all the way around. The mantle I described was basically laying back on the bottom crack, getting high feet on the wall underneath the crack, and then working up that lieback until you can get a right foot out on top of the slab and reach higher into the thin crack. Hope this helps!

Mitch Oct 9, 2014