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Lemon Crack Climb

5.11+ PG13, Trad, 70 ft (21 m),  Avg: 2.5 from 2 votes
FA: Max Schon & Jimmy?
Colorado > Durango > Lemon Reservoir > B. E Side

Description

This is a good splitter for Durango standards. It has a little bit of an odd ball location, but this is a fun, traditional challenge.

It starts on a ledge that is most easily accessible by rappelling into it. You start by climbing up a crack that's not the greatest rock, but the gear seems decent. At this point, the climbing starts to become difficult, and there is a funky place to protect that I couldn't find a good gear placement with besides a green Omega cam. While protected by a fairly good cam placement, but not the best rock, pull on some shallow but positive finger locks that lead to a good stance A little higher in the splitter a #6 stopper and a #0.3 BD cam went in pretty well after digging out the placements. At this point, the crack turns into a seam, which is probably protectable, but hard to place gear on. I found some really fun, positive-feeling face holds to the left of the seam, which were really committing and far apart. Those couple of moves lead to a flared hand jam and some possible air time over marginal gear. Pull the flared hand jam to a jug! You can relax a little and finally place a textbook HB placement, which I believe was a #4 HB. You climb a little higher, and the granite crack eases off and becomes a fantastic splitter from fingers to fist jams.

This is the only granite splitter I have climbed in the Durango area. It is unique to the area.

I headpointed this climb, with some traffic it would probably clean up well. I thought rope soloing the route was really fun, quick, and easy to set up. It helped me to plan the gear out before leading it.

Location

Park at the East parking area, and head straight to the river from there. You will run into a cliff line in 5 minutes, follow the cliff line until you find bolts and chain anchors.

Protection

Offset and standard stoppers and a set of BD cams from #0.3 to #4. Bring doubles of fingers to thin hands. There are two anchor bolts at the top of the cliff.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Good granite takes you to the top!
[Hide Photo] Good granite takes you to the top!
Finally placing a confidence inspiring piece.
[Hide Photo] Finally placing a confidence inspiring piece.
Pulling on the face holds, kinda exciting.
[Hide Photo] Pulling on the face holds, kinda exciting.
Pretty committing at this point.
[Hide Photo] Pretty committing at this point.
I don't actually know any of the history of this route.
[Hide Photo] I don't actually know any of the history of this route.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Ben Griffin
Chattanooga, TN
  5.11+
[Hide Comment] Any info on this climb would be helpful. What is it called? and who did the first ascent? Oct 18, 2015
Ben Griffin
Chattanooga, TN
  5.11+
[Hide Comment] I just remembered, there is a #4 BD stopper that I placed that went into the crack well right in the middle of the crux, but while fiddling with it for a long time on top rope, I found I could pull it out of the bottom of the crack. If that piece blows, the route would probably get an R rating. Oct 22, 2015
Max Schon
Santa fe
[Hide Comment] Jimmy and I did this before any other routes were put up at Lemon. We sent it with some preplaced gear but always thought it needed a bolt down low. While hand drilling the anchor (the first bolts I ever drilled), I unearthed a mosquito nest and lost a quart of blood finishing the last bolt. Memorable. May 18, 2016